Family Ties
by Lord Darth Master
Summary: Leia went to Tatooine. Luke went to Alderaan. The Empire tracked down Bail Organa and took Luke. What would have happened if Leia was to become the Jedi and Luke became his father's apprentice? Major AU
1. Chapter 1

**Family Ties **

**Chapter I: The Coming of the Empire **

Leia Skywalker yawned as she stretched her arms over her head and leaned back against the Sandcrawler. A swarm of jawas were scurrying back and forth between Uncle Owen and the pack of droids they were trying to unload. There were times when she was really unsure if she was cut out to be a moisture farmer. Her Aunt Beru often told her that she had far more potential than she could use here on Tatooine. Leia was beginning to believe it. The idea of dealing with jawas or water merchants was appalling to her. She would much rather become a well educated scholar or senator.

Well, that's what she would have liked. That wasn't really an option anymore. According to her friends, the Empire had just dismantled the Imperial Senate. Emperor Palpatine was now the soul controller of the galaxy. At least that's what she'd heard. It didn't really matter. The Empire really didn't care too much for Tatooine or any of the other outer rim planets, except the ones involved in the Rebellion.

She smiled at the thought. She had heard that the Rebellion was spreading across the outer rim, recruiting planets that didn't really have much to do with the Empire. Tatooine fell into that category quite nicely. She could imagine herself joining, serving as a pilot or a soldier. It was corny, she knew, but she didn't care. The life of a scholar may have been preferable to that of a farmer, but to be a fighter…

She sighed as her uncle called to her. She walked over to him and the jawas. It looked like he had purchased two new droids; an R2 unit and a protocol droid. "Just these?" she asked.

"Yeah," her uncle replied as he handed the jawa leader his money. "Take them back to the garage and get them cleaned up by dinner."

"Ok," she sighed. "Come on."

She began to walk away from the sandcrawler, back towards the farm's garage. The droid's began to follow her. The first was a humanoid shaped protocol droid with gold plates and coverings. The second was a standard blue R2 unit that looked like it had seen better days. It'd be a pain to clean that one. Part of the dome looked like it was marked by carbon scoring. The idea of painting the droid before dinner didn't grab her fancy either.

Leia led the droids into the garage and closed the door, leaving them in the dimly lit room. "Step into that tub," Leia instructed the protocol droid.

"Yes Lady… eh-,"

"Leia," she replied.

"Ah, yes Lady Leia. I am C-3PO, Human-Cyborg Relations. And this is my counterpart, R2-D2."

"Hello," she muttered as the droid stepped into the oil tub. She walked over to the outdated computer that controlled the garage's gas systems and keyed in the command. The tub began to fill with the natural droid cleansing oil that was processed in Mos Eisley. The droid looked at the oil approvingly as it began to soak into his joints, eating away any of the rust that may have formed since he was last checked. "I want you to soak in there for at least five minutes," Leia told him. "You're moving pretty slow."

The R2 unit beeped something Leia couldn't understand, but it seemed to offend Threepio. "Shut up!" the gold droid snapped.

"You, come here," she said to Artoo.

The droid warbled as it rolled over to her. She squatted down and inspected the small droid's outer frame. With another long sigh, she began to polish up the droid as best she could.

"So how did you get here?" she asked.

"We're survivors of a space attack," Threepio replied.

"A space attack?" Leia repeated, clearly dubious.

"Yes, our ship, the Tantive IV, was on its way to Yavin on a diplomatic mission of some sort. We were attacked by the Empire."

"How'd you escape?" she asked.

"Our pods landed here, wherever here may be," the droid replied.

Leia chuckled, though there was no real humor behind it. "You're on Tatooine," she told him. "And if you were a diplomatic droid before, get used to it here. Things are kind of tough."

"Oh my," Threepio said with a slight gasp.

"Leia!"

She turned to the door and opened it. "Yes?" she called back out.

"Come here!"

Leia sighed and turned to the droids. "I'll be right back," she told them.

She left the garage and walked into the main house where her aunt and uncle were sitting, eyes glued to the holonet report that was on. The Emperor was making some sort of public announcement. Behind him, Leia could see his two most loyal hounds: Darth Vader and Darth Parvulus. Over the years, Leia had come to despise Vader and Parvulus because of her aunt and uncle's negative remarks about them. Quite honestly she despised the entire Empire for its neglect of the outer rim.

"Listen," Beru said.

"A rebellion has begun to form, threatening our glorious Empire," Palpatine was saying. "They have stolen security codes that could give them access to Coruscant and must be stopped. Our forces trailed them to the outer rim, where their ship has crash landed. I will be sending Darth Vader to Tatooine in order to deal with them and he will secure our Empire's safety. Thank you."

The image faded and Leia frowned. "He didn't say much, did he? Public announcements usually last at least twenty minutes."

"He only did it because people this Rebellion will actually succeed and are putting pressure on him. That's how politicians work," Owen commented as he went back to his dinner.

"How are the droids coming along?" Beru asked Leia as she poured a glass of blue milk for her niece.

Leia accepted the glass and took a sip. "The protocol droid said that they were on board a rebellion ship," she replied.

Owen looked up at her urgently. "What?"

"He says they belong to the rebellion," she told him.

Owen frowned. "We paid good money for those droids," he muttered. "They belong to us. Tomorrow I want you to take them up to Anchorhead and have their memories wiped."

"But what if there's important schematics or something inside one of these droids?"

Owen shook his head. "It doesn't matter. The Empire doesn't care about us and neither will the Rebellion if they win. Best to stay out of it and leave things the way they are."

"The Rebellion's promised to make the outer rim a better place," she argued.

"I watched the meeting in the Senate that decided to reorganize the Republic into the Empire. They promised the same thing. These sorts of things never change, Leia. If Vader's going to be on Tatooine, we best look like we support the Empire."

Leia groaned and turned away. "Where are you going?" Beru asked.

"To finish the droids," she replied.

Beru turned to look at Owen nervously. "What are we going to do?" she asked.

"Nothing," he replied as he turned back to his plate.

"Vader's coming and we're not going to do anything?"

"That crackpot told us that Vader didn't even know Leia was born," Owen explained. "There's no reason to worry."

"Vader's a Jedi!" Beru insisted. "He might just know!"

"Jedi," Owen grunted. "There's nothing to worry about."

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The Emperor smiled as he turned away from the holonet reporters and faced his two most loyal apprentices. Darth Vader and Darth Parvulus stood at attention, waiting for instruction. "Lord Vader," Sidious spoke. "I want this rebellion crushed. Make a public statement on Tatooine. I want every man, woman, and child alive to fear joining this rebellion."

"Yes Master," Vader replied.

"Lord Parvulus," the Emperor said as he began to walk to his desk. "I sense a disturbance in the Force."

"I felt it, my Master," Parvulus replied.

"It is coming from somewhere in the outer rim."

"What is your desire?" Parvulus inquired.

"Go with Lord Vader to Tatooine. From there, begin to search for it."

"If it is a Jedi?" Parvulus asked.

"There are no Jedi," the Emperor replied curtly. "But person may become one. Kill him."

Parvulus fell into a deep bow. "Yes Master," he replied.

Vader bowed as well and the two turned from their master and exited into the hallway of the Imperial Palace. "Your thoughts are clouded, my son," Vader said as they walked. Parvulus said nothing, though he knew his father was right. "Tell me what you are thinking."

"If the Jedi are dead, why kill this man?" Parvulus inquired.

"What do you mean?" Vader asked. "Do you question the orders of the Emperor?"

"No," Parvulus replied. "I merely try to understand them."

"His orders are not for us to understand, my son."

"I believe that this man could prove useful to us," Parvulus said, ignoring his father's last comment as he pushed a lock of dark blond hair from his eyes.

"And how is that?"

"The Emperor has trained Force sensitive individuals to be his Hands. Why kill one who could prove useful?"

"The Emperor's Hands are a waste," Vader snapped. "There's no need to add another one."

"Yes Father," Parvulus said obediently.

"Your curiosity will betray you, my son. The Emperor's rule is not to be questioned."

"Yes Father," he repeated.

Vader and Parvulus came into the Imperial Palace's front room, which would lead out to the rest of Coruscant. "Have my shuttle prepared," Vader ordered Parvulus. "Bring only what you will need to complete your assignment."

"Yes Lord Vader," Parvulus said, using the more formal title in front of the officers in the room.

Vader turned and walked away, leaving Parvulus to contemplate his own thoughts. He shook his head and turned around to see someone coming towards him. He recognized the woman, though it had been quite some time since they had seen one another. She was a very attractive young woman, maybe in her early twenties. The golden-red hair that cascaded behind her had been curled and she was dressed in a high class white dress with a light blue sash. He knew instantly what her business in the Imperial Palace was. "Lianna," he said to her with a nod.

"Lord Parvulus," she returned, meeting his gaze.

"Has the Emperor requested another performance?" he asked to her, speaking in a code that only she and the Emperor were supposed to know.

She didn't seem to be surprised by the fact that he knew such high class information. She merely nodded her response and gaze him an attractive crooked smile. "I could give you a performance as well, if you would like?" she offered.

Parvulus was surprised by the offer, though he wasn't sure whether or not she was speaking in code or just offering him a lap dance. Lianna was a code name that the Emperor had given her when he had first taken her under his wing. Her real name was Mara Jade. She was one of the Emperor's Hands that served as his elite unit of assassins. The Hands were a high security unit that the Emperor had trained himself and very few people knew of their existence. All the Hands that Parvulus had met seemed to have great distain for his father, Lord Vader, and vice-versa. He personally had no qualms with them. He was not so greedy for the Emperor's approval or attention. The Hands had proven to be useful in the past. Vader's problem was that they didn't fall under anyone's jurisdiction, except the Emperor's, therefore he could not give them orders or use them to his own means. Parvulus didn't have that problem. He had found in the past that there were others who would be willing to do his bidding if the Hands were not.

Mara was one of Parvulus' favorite Hands. She was a beautiful woman and had fascinated him since they had first met. She usually went under the alias of Lianna, one of the Emperor's favorite dancers. The code word 'performance' meant 'assassination.' Therefore, asking Parvulus if he needed a performancne was quite an honor. Most of the Hands assumed that he was similar to his father and despised them. Mara saw the truth. Parvulus understood her and for that, she was grateful. Parvulus knew that she felt this way. It brought a smirk to his lips to think of how she would react if she ever discovered the truth.

For reasons of his own, the Emperor had chosen not to inform that Hands of each other's existence. As far as each Hand knew, he or she was the only one. Mara Jade was no exception. She took pride in her status as a Hand. The Emperor had groomed her to be a perfect little Kath Hound. She had come to love her master for that and like all dogs, the knowledge of another hound that may have receive more attention was not something she would accept.

"I don't require a performance, Lianna, but thank you," he replied.

"Well," she seemed somewhat disappointed, though she hid it quickly. "the Emperor is waiting."

"Yes, he is," Parvulus agreed.

"Goodbye, Lord Parvulus," she said as she walked passed him, into the Imperial Hallway.

Parvulus turned to stare after her. Passion stirred inside of him as he watched her. She moved with such fluid grace and beauty. One day, he would make her his own. "By the Empire," he swore. She would be his.

**Alright, that's the end of chapter 1. Something I felt like explaining was the meaning behind the name Parvulus. The word 'Vader' is actually Dutch for the word 'Father.' Since Luke was Vader's son, it seemed appropriate that he be named 'Son' or 'Child' I looked up the Dutch word for 'son' and didn't particularly care for it, so I decided to search for the same word in a different language. Initially I used the word 'Fillius' is actually German for the word 'son.' Due to copyright issues, I needed to change the name. 'Parvulus' is the Latin word for 'child.' I prefer the old name for those of you who already read it, but it had to be changed. Just thought I'd throw that out there. Please review this chapter and tell me what you think. I accept any sort of constructive criticism you have to offer. Thank you. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Family Ties**

**Chapter II: Who You Really Are**

Leia groaned as she sat up in bed, her head throbbing. A quick look at her clock told her that it wasn't even dawn yet. She threw off her sheets and threw her legs over the bed. Resting her forehead against the palm of her hand, she tried to ignore the pain in her head. It had been like this for several nights. She would wake up with a headache that had just appeared and it would be impossible to go back to sleep.

Through the fog in her brain that the headache had induced, Leia remembered that her uncle had wanted her to take the two droids up to Anchorhead this morning. It would be smart to get there early, before all of the traders and droid vendors made began to do business. She stood up and tried to shake off the dizziness. Once she was relatively sure she could stand, Leia got dressed and went out to the kitchen.

She made a quick pot of caffa and took two bacta pills for the pain in her head. Shortly afterwards, the throbbing subsided and she could think clearly again. The young woman went out to the garage and flicked on the lights. Artoo and Threepio were currently deactivated and sitting in a corner. She activated the smaller droid first, receiving several indignant beeps. Next she activated Threepio. The protocol droid greeted her fondly and turned to listen to the smaller one.

"Oh shut up," he snapped.

"What's he saying?" Leia asked.

"He did not approve of your decision to shut him down for the night. It's something he's not accustomed to."

"Too bad," she muttered as she went over to the work bench. She quickly found the key-chip to the family's speeder and took her uncle's E11 model blaster rifle. This early in the morning, there might be sand people out. "Let's go," she ordered.

She led the droids around the back of the garage where the old speeder was. Loading the R2 unit took sometime, but Threepio was easily able to maneuver himself into the passenger seat. Once the droids were strapped in, Leia buckled in and took the wheel.

The speeder shot off into the dune sea, towards Anchorhead. Hopefully the gate guard hadn't fallen asleep again.

Leia traveled for at least an hour, making slight small talk with Threepio as they went. The speeder pulled up to the Anchorhead gate shortly after an hour had passed. She hopped out of the speeder and walked up to a computer terminal next to the gate. Leia inserted her ID card into the receptacle. She waited a moment before a hologram of the gate guard appeared at the top of the terminal.

"You work on the Larrs Farm?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"State your business," he ordered.

"I need to have two of our new droid's memories erased," she responded.

"Alright," he replied as her ID was ejected from the terminal. "Don't cause any trouble."

Leia walked back to her speeder and watched as the gate slowly opened. She drove the speeder into the city and drove passed the guard's station. She navigated the streets, not having to deal with much traffic in the early morning hours. She pulled up next to the droid house and parked. Unloading Artoo was more difficult than it had been to load him.

In the distance, Leia heard the high pitched squealing sound of a rodian. She turned around and listened carefully. It had sounded like a pained cry. She reached into the back seat of the speeder and pulled out her blaster.

"Hello?" she called out.

She suddenly realized that the streets seemed to be deserted. A feeling of uneasiness began to well up in the pit of her stomach. The droid began to beep fervently, adding only more tension to Leia's mind. "What's he saying?" she asked Threepio as she kept looking around.

"He says that there are several non-human organics moving this way," the droid replied.

"Where?"

"Over there!" he cried as a band of men came out of an alleyway.

"Hey, check it out!" one called as he spotted Leia.

The men snickered as three of them broke off from the main group and started towards her. All three of them seemed to be scoundrels of some type, probably smugglers. They were all armed with D-34 Blaster pistols at their thighs. Leia raised her blaster rifle in warning. They stopped abruptly.

The three men stood about three feet from her; close enough for her to smell the alcohol on their ragged breaths. "This one's gonna put up a fight," one of the men said as he turned away and walked back towards the main group.

The other two thugs weren't so easily intimidated. They were bolder and far drunker. One of them stepped forward, forcing Leia to act. She fired a low charge shot at his stomach. It burned through his shirt, causing a mild burn on the abdomen. He yelped in pain as he clutched at his gut. The second man drew his blaster and pointed it at her. Leia saw that the power gauge was at its maximum. The man's actions spoke of like someone who was completely unaware of what they were doing.

Suddenly, the man dropped his arm and looked around, as if someone was talking to him. His face was completely vacant. After a moment he gave up his search. "Let's go," he muttered to the man who had been shot. The one who Leia had attacked seemed to consider charging her, but his face also went vacant as he began to look around. Seemingly agreeing with his partner, he turned and walked off.

Leia watched them as they went, considering the idea of just shooting them in the back. She reconsidered when she realized that the entire gang was making their way to the swoop track and didn't plan on bothering her.

"What happened?" Threepio asked Leia as he came to stand beside her.

"I'm not sure," she replied, scanning the area around her.

Her eyes were caught when she saw someone walking into the alley that the gang had just come from. "Wait here," she ordered as she began to walk towards it.

"Lady Leia!" Threepio called after her.

"Shhhhh!" she snapped.

Threepio fell back indignantly and watched as she disappeared from sight behind the closer of the two buildings that started the alley. Atroo beeped a question at him. "I don't know," he replied gravely. "But she told us to stay here." The small astromech droid beeped as it began to roll after her. "Wait!" Threepio called. "Where are you going?" The smaller droid didn't answer. Instead it continued to follow Leia. "Come back!" Threepio cried as he followed the smaller droid.

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Leia followed the figure she had seen walk into the alley as he navigated through what was a maze of avenues and streets to her. She had no way of telling who this person was or what species he was. He was cloaked in brown and the hood was up. He seemed to know where he was going however. He walked quickly, though it looked somewhat strange, as if he was having difficulty keeping the pace. He rounded another corner and she followed. This one led them to a dead end, but at the end of the alley, Leia saw what had caused the squeal earlier. A young rodian was lying on the ground, bleeding from the rib cage area and looking as if he had beaten bluntly before being stabbed.

Leia watched as the figure walk up the rodian and kneel down beside him. Her view of the rodian was obstructed by the figure himself, but she could see that he was working with something. A moment later, she heard the faint squeal-like sounds a rodian speaking. She saw the rodian sit up and jabber at the figure. Although Leia didn't understand Rodian, she was pretty sure he was thanking the man.

The rodian and the man stood up and the rodian continued to jabber. Once he was finished, the alien started towards the exit of the alley. He stopped short when he saw Leia, blaster rifle in hand.

"It's alright," the man assured the rodian. "She won't hurt you."

The rodian waited a minute before it decided to believe the man who had saved him and ran off. Leia turned to the man in front of her. She recognized his voice, though she couldn't place it.

The man turned around and lowered his hood so that she could see his face. He was an old man with silky white hair on his head and course white hair on his face. Leia instantly recognized him. "Ben Kenobi," she said as the man approached her and offered her his hand. She took it and shook it fondly. She hadn't seen Ben in nearly four years, not since he had left his hut by the Jundland wastes.

"Leia," he said warmly as he pulled her into a hug. "What are you doing in Anchorhead so early in the morning?" he asked.

Before she could answer, they were interrupted by the sound of Atroo's warbling beeps as he rolled into the alley. Threepio quickly followed and began to try to explain what had happened to Leia. "Threepio, it's alright," she assured him before turning back to Ben. "These droids," she replied to his question. "My uncle wanted their memories wiped before the Darth Vader arrived."

Ben's brow wrinkled in confusion. "Vader?" Ben repeated. "I would think your uncle would have bigger things to worry about with Vader coming than these two droids."

"They claim that they were with the rebellion. Uncle Owen's scared that they might lead the Empire to us," Leia explained.

Ben nodded in understanding. "What if they contained information vital to the rebellion?" the old man asked.

"Uncle Owen says it doesn't matter," Leia replied. "He says things won't change even if the Rebellion takes over the Empire."

Ben chuckled. "That sounds like you uncle, but come. There may be other unpleasant people in this part of Anchorhead."

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Ben Kenobi led Leia into his hut on the outskirts of Anchorhead. The two droids followed her closely as she went. Once inside, Artoo began to explore the new area while Threepio stood attentively beside Leia. Ben walked out of the room and down the hallway.

"What has your uncle told you about your father?" Ben called from down the hall.

"My father?" Leia called back. "Nothing, really. I know he was a cargo merchant on Desaan, but that's about it." Ben snorted. "He says they weren't all that close."

"I should say not," Ben agreed. "They barely knew one another. I believe they met all of once."

"Once? No, that's not possible," she said shaking her head. "Besides, how would you know my father?"

"I knew your father quite well," Ben replied as he came back into the room, a strange cylindrical shaped object in his hand. "I met him when he was boy and I knew him until he died."

"You knew my father?" Leia asked. Ben nodded. "Why didn't my uncle ever say anything?"

Ben shrugged. "Probably didn't want you following old Obi-Wan on some damn fool mission like your father."

"Obi-Wan?" she asked.

He smiled at her, only now realizing that she had never been told who he was; another sign that his old mind was beginning to slip. "Me," he told her. "My name is actually Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Oh," she said as she understood.

"Your uncle never really approved of your father, from what I gather," Ben explained. "He said your father should have stayed here on Tatooine and looked after your grandmother."

"Why didn't he?" she asked.

"Your father left Tatooine when he was nine," Ben explained. "He was taken to be trained in the ways of the Jedi, the peace keepers in the galaxy. He didn't learn of what happened to your grandmother until after it was too late."

"What happened?" Leia urged.

Ben shook his head. "It's not important. This is," he said as he held up the strange object he was holding. He handed it out to her. She took it and began to examine it. There was a small button on it that she depressed with her thumb. Leia let out a slight gasp when a blade appeared from one end with a _snap-hiss_.

"Your father wanted you to have that once you were old enough, but your uncle wouldn't allow it. It's your father's lightsaber."

Leia was intrigued by the device in her hand. The weight of it hadn't changed at all when she had activated the blade, yet it was still there. "What is it?" she asked.

"The lightsaber was the weapon of Jedi," he replied. "It's not as clumsy or random as a blaster; a more elegant weapon, of a more civilized age. The Force is a Jedi's most depended upon possession, aside from the Force of course."

"The Force?"

"The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field that flows through the galaxy and guides all things. With the Force, all things are possible. Without it, nothing is."

"But I've never heard of it," she pointed out. "How can something so powerful never have been heard of?"

Ben seemed disturbed by the question. "I assume that that's the Empire's doing," he told her. "Once all of the men like your father were dead, they began to cover up their existence."

A new question arose inside of her mind, one that seemed like it should have been asked the moment she had discovered Ben's connection to her father. She closed down the lightsaber and looked at him. "How did my father die?" she asked.

Ben looked at her gravely. He sighed heavily and took a seat on the arm of a chair. "The Force is a powerful tool for a Jedi," he replied thoughtfully. "Some Jedi lose control and fall to the dark side of the Force. A young knight named Darth Vader fell to it. He betrayed and murdered your father."

"Vader?" she repeated. "Darth Vader murdered my father?" Ben nodded. "And Vader's coming here."

Ben shook his head urgently. "No Leia, you mustn't confront him!"

"But he deserves to die!" Leia snapped as she stood up.

"That may be true," Ben conceded. "But nothing short of a Jedi Knight could stop Vader now. And murder is not the way of the Jedi."

"It's not murder!" she insisted. "It's-,"

"Revenge?"

"Yes!"

"Anger, hate, revenge; these are the path to the dark side that Vader now walks," he cautioned.

"I'm not a Jedi, Ben! What does it matter if I act like one?"

"I wouldn't expect you to understand yet," Ben replied. "But you will."

"Ben," Leia pleaded. "I have to! For my family!"

"Leia, there may come a time when you must face Vader," Ben told her. "But not until you are ready."

"And how can I get ready?"

"I can train you," he replied. "I can teach you the ways of the Force, but you must listen to what I say! You must learn patience. Your passions will be your downfall if you give into them!"

Leia didn't say anything for a moment. All of this new information had come as a bit of a shock. After a minute she nodded. She looked up at Ben, he eyes pleading. "My father was a Jedi?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Then I want to become one. I want to learn the ways of the Force, as he did."

"Then I can help you," Ben said.

He put his hand on her shoulder and looked Leia in the eye with a reassuring smile. "I'm ready," she told him.


	3. Chapter 3

**For those of you who have not read the insert I added at the end of chapter one, I had to change the name "Fillius" to "Parvulus" due to the fact that another author was using the name for his Sith Luke. This was pure coincidence, but I changed the name to avoid any problems. Instead of using the Latin/German word for son (Fillius) I am now using the Latin version of the word "child" (Parvulus) Thank you. **

**Family Ties**

**Chapter III: The Hunt**

Darth Parvulus watched impassively as his father, Lord Vader, continued to choke the life out of one of the last surviving member of the Tantive IV. The Imperial garrison that had been set up in Mos Eisley was now stained red with the blood of the Rebel ship's crew. Vader had slain each and every survivor himself; interrogating them in the process. Parvulus was now beginning to grow impatient. Whilst he could appreciate his father's skills in the art of torture, he had an assignment of his own that needed to be carried out.

The Rebel officer crumpled to the floor as Vader released his grasp. The Dark Lord turned slowly to face his son, as if annoyed by the interruption. "What is it, Lord Parvulus?" Vader demanded with a voice that sounded like a calm rage was boiling inside of him.

"I am leaving to fulfill my task from the Emperor," Parvulus replied as he crossed his arms and stood up straight.

"Very well," Vader said dismissively, clearly not caring about the assignment.

"You are of course aware that we were followed to this planet?" Parvulus commented as Vader turned to leave the room. The older Sith Lord stopped and turned his head back.

"And why do you say that?" he inquired with a voice that implied a deep threat.

"Use the Force," Parvulus replied. "I've been able to sense her presence since we left Coruscant."

Vader did not speak for a moment, but when he did his voice was triumphant. "So the Emperor's Hand followed us here. Most interesting."

"I am surprised you couldn't sense her before now," Parvulus remarked. Though his face was obscured by the breath mask he wore, Vader cast Parvulus a look of pure ice. The latter of the two went on as if he hadn't noticed the rage rolling off his father. "I questioned this assignment from the beginning. I knew the Emperor had summoned her for a reason."

Vader groaned as he continued towards the door. "If she gets in the way, kill her!" he ordered as he left.

Parvulus snickered. "Now why would I do that?" he muttered aloud.

The young Sith Lord left the room and made his way to the hangar, passing a few stormtroopers and Imperial officers as he went. The hangar was mostly empty. There were only a few TIE fighters, Vader's shuttle, and some speeders for recon work. Parvulus selected his IAS-32 (Imperial Assassin Speeder) and opened the hangar door, via remote control. He inserted the key chip into the ignition and the bike began to hum loudly. He shot out of the hangar and began to comb the vast deserts of Tatooine.

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Mara Jade set aside her pair of binoculars as Parvulus' speeder sped out of the Imperial garrison. She turned to her own speeder and hopped in. Keying in the ignition code, Mara activated the speeder and set out in hot pursuit of Parvulus. The Emperor's Hand weaved in and out of the buildings of Mos Eisley, all the while keeping an eye on her speeder's computer. Before they had left Coruscant, she had fitted Parvulus' speeder and Vader's shuttle with homing devices. A small red icon on the computer screen indicated Parvulus' location, while a small black one indicated her own.

It soon became apparent that the computer screen wouldn't be necessary. She had felt some sort of disturbance in the Force ever since she had broke into the atmosphere and could only assume this was the disturbance that the Emperor had referred too. Parvulus was clearly headed towards whatever this strange anomaly.

With a smile, she keyed in the coordinates and let the autopilot take over. Leaning back in her seat, Mara closed her eyes. This would be simpler than she had expected.

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"No," Ben said for the umpteenth time. "Your lightsaber is an extension of your own hand. Don't think of it as a sword. Think of it as another limb."

Leia sighed again and reactivated her weapon. The small remote than she had helped Ben construct took to the air again and began to spin. Suddenly, it shot a small charge at her, striking her in the shoulder. She cried out and grabbed her shoulder, dropping her lightsaber. The weapon deactivated and the remote fired another charge, striking her in the thigh.

Leia fell to her knees and Ben quickly used the Force to deactivate the remote. Leia looked up at him. Her expression was one of frustration. Ben sighed as he picked up her fallen weapon and held it out to her. Leia took it and shook her head.

"It's not possible," she muttered. "It's too fast."

Ben reached into his robes and drew out his own lightsaber. He ignited the weapon and used the Force to activate the remote. The small machine began to hover again and started to twist in the air. It fired a small charge at Ben, which the old man easily blocked with his saber. Leia watched him move with speed that seemed impossible for a man his age.

"How?"

Ben deactivated his weapon and the droid fell back down. "The Force," Ben replied. "With it, all things are possible."

"But I can't use the Force," she replied as she shook her head.

"Close your eyes," he instructed.

"What?"

"Close your eyes," he repeated. Leia did as instructed. "Now tune out all the sound around you. Listen with your mind, not your ears."

Leia wasn't sure what he meant. She couldn't very well turn off her ears! She couldn't make the beeping noises Artoo was making go away or make the pitter-patter of Threepio's feet as he walked.

"Ignore them," he answered her unspoken thoughts.

Leia tried. She could feel something tugging at the edge of her mind, but she couldn't make it out. It was like a memory that one could only remember part of or a dream that was slipping away. It slipped from her like water in her hands. She began to try and concentrate on it, searching her mind for whatever it was.

Ben saw that Leia's face was now scrunched in concentration. He could sense the Force moving through her now. "Leia?" he asked. She didn't respond. She probably couldn't hear him at all. He smiled as he turned to the remote and activated it. The machine began to hover once again and spun in the air. It rotated in the air and fired on Leia.

Instantly activating her lightsaber, Leia sprung from her trance and swung. The bolt was deflected back, striking the remote. The small charge shorted out the machine and it dropped to the ground.

Ben was impressed. He chuckled slightly as he recalled a similar occurrence with her father. Anakin had been a master swordsman; a trait he had no doubt passed onto both of his children. In time, Leia could quite possibly come to rival her father's saber skills.

Leia looked at the small remote, not quite sure if she could believe what she had just done. She looked from the remote to her still active lightsaber, and then to Ben. He was watching her with a smile. "Good," he said as he came to pat her on the back. "You felt it, didn't you?"

"I felt something," she replied. "It was like there was something there that I didn't recognize, but it told me what to do."

"Good," he replied. "You've taken a large first step."

"I still don't understand," she told him.

"In time you will, but it's getting late. Go home and get some rest. You might even practice reaching out with your senses, if the notion should strike you."

"Alright," she said as she walked over to the sofa where her pack was. She put her lightsaber into the pack and pulled out her speeders ignition chip. "Ben?" she asked as she slung her pack over her shoulder.

"Yes."

"Vader's here on Tatooine."

Ben nodded as he turned away from her. "Yes, he is."

Leia didn't exactly know what to say after this. She sighed and shook her head. "Never mind," she muttered as she walked towards the door.

"Leia," Ben said as he walked up to her. "You must avoid Vader and Parvulus at all costs."

"But what he did to my father!"

"Vader can do to you too," Ben interjected. Leia fell silent and turned away. "Leia, you have the potential to become a great Jedi. Don't throw it all away by being rash."

Leia sighed and nodded. "I won't," she replied. She turned away and left, leaving the droids behind with Ben.

---------------------------------------

Parvulus smiled as he saw the young girl's speeder pull up to the moisture farm. She got out of the vehicle and went inside the main house. This was too easy. The job honestly seemed more like something a Hand would be forced to put up with, not a Sith Lord. He got out of his own speeder bike and began to trek towards the farm.

He knocked politely on the door and waited a moment. It slid open and a pleasant looking older woman stood there. She gasped in shock and backed away at the sight of Parvulus. "May I come in?" he asked as he stepped over the threshold.

"Lord Parvulus," Beru whispered as she fell to a reverent bow.

"Get up," he ordered. "Where is the girl?"

"There is no girl," Beru said quickly.

"Liar," the Sith Lord hissed.

"Owen!" Beru cried out.

Parvulus grabbed Beru by the throat and silenced her quickly. Owen Lars ran into the room and saw Parvulus with his death grip on Beru. "Let go of her!" he screamed as he ran at the Sith Lord.

Parvulus dropped Beru and flicked his arm at Owen. The old man was flung into the stove and cried out as he felt the flames on his back. Beru tried to hit Parvulus, but the Sith Lord quickly knocked her down with the Force. Carefully placing his boot on Beru's neck and jaw, Parvulus snapped the older woman's neck.

Before Owen even realized what happened to his wife, Parvulus bound across the room and snapped his neck. With the two farmers dead, Parvulus turned to the three doors in the room. "Hello," he called out.

"Who is there?" the girl called.

Parvulus smiled and started towards the sound of the girl's voice.

"Stop!"

Parvulus turned around and saw an old man standing there, clothed in brown robes. The Sith Lord didn't even give the man a second thought. He simply flicked his arm at the man, sending a wave of Force energy at him. The old man raised his hand, creating a barrier to absorb the attack.

"I'm the one you want," Ben Kenobi said as he lowered his hood.

At that moment, Leia came into the room to discover the identity of the strange voices she heard. "Ben?" she asked.

"Leia run," he ordered.

Leia saw the bodies of her aunt and uncle and gasped. "No!" she cried as she ran to the body of her dead aunt. Her whole body shuddered as she was overcome by grief. Ben looked at her piteously, while Parvulus merely smiled.

"Run," Ben ordered again. "I'll take care of this."

"You will now?" Parvulus asked.

Leia looked from Ben to Parvulus. Ben nodded at her. Taking her chances, Leia grabbed her pack off the kitchen table and ran. Parvulus moved to follow her, but Ben stepped in the way. "This is between you and me, Luke."

"Luke?" Parvulus repeated with some surprise in his voice. He hadn't heard that name in a long time. More importantly, he had never been to Tatooine before. Who was this old man? "Who are you? How do you know me?"

"I was there when you were born, Luke. I was there the day your father was seduced to the dark side and killed your mother."

Curiosity sparked inside of Parvulus. As far as he had known, Senator Organa had been the only one who had known the story behind his death. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"I was your father's Jedi Master," he replied. "My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Obi-Wan?" Parvulus burst out laughing. "Oh, how my father has spoken of you," he sneered. "The Jedi Master who put him in that cursed suit."

"He was supposed to die that day."

"And he's thought of nothing but your death since then," Parvulus replied as he pulled out a lightsaber. His finger depressed the switch and a ruby colored blade appeared. Ben ignited his own sapphire colored weapon and held it up in defense. "How my father will revel in the knowledge that I cut you down!"

Parvulus leapt at Ben, bringing his saber down in a wide arch. Ben side stepped and used the Force to toss the kitchen table at his opponent. Parvulus cut the table in two and threw the two pieces at Ben. The old Jedi erected another barrier to protect himself and swung his blade. Parvulus stepped back and began to laugh. "You're a weak old man, Master Kenobi!" he cackled. "Your powers can't compare to that of the dark side!"

"You're just as blind as your father," Ben retorted.

"Am I?" Parvulus asked.

He deactivated his lightsaber and laughed. "I'll show you my power!" Parvulus closed his eyes and began to concentrate. The Force began to whirl up inside of him like a storm. The ground shook. The walls and ceiling began to crack. Ben realized what the Sith Lord was doing and snickered.

"Just as arrogant as your father," he muttered.

Ben launched at Parvulus, and flung a wave of Force energy at him. The Sith Lord was caught completely off guard. He slammed through the clay doorway and went rolling through the sand outside. Ben followed after him and brought his saber up for the kill.

"Stop!"

Ben was suddenly flung to the ground, stopping him from making the finishing blow. The old man looked up and saw a young woman standing over Parvulus.

"Need some help?" Mara Jade asked as she extended her hand to the fallen Sith Lord.

Parvulus slapped her hand away and stood up on his own. "Get out of here," he hissed.

"Oh no," she replied shaking her head. "The Emperor ordered me to end the disturbance. He's mine!"

"No, he's not," Parvulus replied as he recalled his fallen lightsaber.

"Don't get in my way, Lord Parvulus," she warned him as she called Ben's saber to her hand and activated it.

By this time, Ben had already gotten back to his feet. He faced the two dark Jedi without fear, though he knew that it was over. He couldn't over power either one in terms of physical strength and together they're Force powers outweighed his. There was no point in avoiding the inevitable. He only wished that there had been more time to train Leia. Without a teacher to guide her, Leia would never be a Jedi. Even worse than that, if the Empire found her she would become Vader's second apprentice. The Skywalker family would take control of the galaxy and bring it to its very knees.

_She will not be alone. _

Ben felt better as the voice of his old master spoke to him. Qui-Gon had never led him astray since he had become one with the Force. Why would things be different now? Perhaps he could continue to guide Leia the same way that Qui-Gon had continued to guide him.

"Luke," Ben spoke. Parvulus and Mara both looked up. "You can still turn away."

Parvulus shook his head as he began to walk towards Ben, bringing his saber up. "Goodbye, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

In one vicious strike, Parvulus brought his blade across Ben's shoulders, severing his head. Before the body fell it vanished into the Force, leaving only his clothes as any proof of his existence.

---------------------------------------

Leia slammed on the brakes of her speeder, causing it to go spinning above the sands of the Dune Sea. She was thrown from it before it tipped over, crashing into the ground. Leia went rolling down a sand dune before finally coming to a halt. The shock of the accident quickly passed. She had felt something strange just then. It was like something in her mind, a reassuring presence had suddenly vanished.

"Ben!" she whispered as she looked back in the direction of the farm. It had been out of view for several minutes now, but she had the terrible feeling that something had happened to Ben. Her attention moved back to her speeder. It had been damaged badly and probably wouldn't be able to take her back to the farm… or to Anchorhead for that matter.

"Damn it!" she screamed.

---------------------------------------

Darth Vader stopped suddenly, dropping last member of the Tantive IV to the ground. He suddenly felt a major shift in the Force. "Obi-Wan," he spoke aloud. He quickly turned to the man he had dropped on the ground and threw him into the wall with the Force, snapping his neck. "Commander!" he called into the hallway.

The commander quickly came into the room and bowed before Vader. "Find Parvulus," he ordered. "I want a full report on his assignment."

"Yes Lord Vader," the man replied.

"At last," Vader muttered to himself. "My old master is dead."


	4. Chapter 4

**Family Ties**

**Chapter IV: The Path of the Force**

Mara Jade stood quietly by the door as she and Darth Parvulus came into Vader's chamber in the Imperial garrison. Parvulus bowed deeply before his father, but she did nothing to acknowledge his authority or position. "Report," Vader ordered, his tone colder than usual.

"I discovered the source of the disturbance felt by the Emperor," Parvulus replied as he stood up straight. "The Emperor was right to be concerned. It was a Jedi Master." Parvulus paused for a slightly more dramatic effect. "Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Vader did not say anything for a long moment. He had feared that this was the case. He had hoped that it wasn't, but it was true. Parvulus had killed Obi-Wan. The Dark Lord's mechanical muscles clenched and beneath his helmet, his eyes closed. He remembered the last time he had seen Obi-Wan clearer than anything. It was a day that had haunted him for the last twenty years.

_"I should have known the Jedi were plotting to take over!" he had cried. _

_"From the Sith!" Obi-Wan tried to explain. "Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil!" _

_"From my perspective the Jedi are evil!" he retorted. _

_"Then you are lost!" _

_Their blades clashed again, causing the platform they were on to weaken. Obi-Wan faltered and backed away. "This is the end for you, my master!" he said with deathly calm. _

_Obi-Wan had leapt off the platform and onto a small sloped hill. "It's over Anakin!" Obi-Wan had said. "I have the high ground!" _

_But he had been reckless. He leapt up the hill, over Obi-Wan, planning to finish him off with one stroke of his lightsaber. Obi-Wan had been faster. He brought his blade up and sliced off his three remaining limbs. He slammed into the ground and rolled down to the edge of the lave river. The lava burned at his wounded legs. He had used all of his remaining strength to pull himself up using his mechanical arm. He was too slow. His clothes caught on fire, igniting his whole body. _

Vader spun around and used the Force to grip Parvulus. "What have you done?!" he thundered as he lifted his son into the air. Parvulus tried to throw him off using a Force wave, but Vader didn't even seem to notice it. He seemed one hundred percent intent on destroying the man who had robbed him of his revenge.

Suddenly he dropped Parvulus as he felt something burn in his back. Vader spun around, ready to strike whoever had hit him. He found that Mara Jade stood behind him, a white-blue lightsaber in her hands. Her eyes were stone cold and she looked ready to kill. Vader considered going for his own weapon, but discarded the thought. Fighting between the Hands and the Sith was frowned upon by the Emperor.

Parvulus had struggled to his feet and was looking at his father in confusion. "I avenged you!" he seethed. "The old man is dead! What more did you want?"

Vader did not answer. His attention had been redirected towards the lightsaber Mara was holding. He recognized it. "Where," he asked. "did you get that?"

"I took it," she snapped back.

"Give it to me, now!" he ordered as he held out his hand.

Mara scoffed. "It's my prize," she told him as she closed down the weapon. "I took it from him."

The Emperor's Hand turned away from Vader and Parvulus and began towards the door. "I must be returning to Coruscant," she informed them. "The Emperor is waiting." With a smile of triumph, Mara left the room, leaving Vader in a state of rage.

---------------------------------------

Leia walked into Ben's hut and looked around. Her eyes were smeared with dirt and tears and he clothes were tattered and grimy. "Threepio?" she said looking around. A moment later, the gold protocol droid came into the room.

"Lady Leia, are you alright?" the droid asked, noting her minor injuries.

"I'm fine," she replied as she threw her pack onto the sofa. "Where's Artoo?"

Her question was answered as the small astromech droid beeped from the other room. "Where is Master Kenobi?" Threepio asked. Leia sat down in a chair and buried her face in her hands. It took her a long moment to answer.

"He's dead," she replied. "Darth Parvulus killed him… with my aunt and uncle."

"Master and Mistress Lars are dead?" Threepio gasped.

Leia nodded and looked absently at the table in front of her. Tears welled up in her eyes again and she convulsed with a sob. The days began to drag by slowly. She was aware of neither time nor consciousness. She drifted in and out of sleep unknowingly Threepio and Artoo made sure that she ate and kept up her strength, but it didn't really seem to matter. She was less than a shell of life.

At one point, after about a week, Threepio accidentally bumped into the sofa and knocked over Leia's pack. The bag fell over and the buckle snapped. The contents spilled out over the floor. Amongst the various items were Leia's E-11 blaster rifle and her lightsaber. For the first time in days, Leia remembered her Jedi training. She reached out with her hand, focusing her mind on the lightsaber. It began to tremble slightly on the ground as the Force began to move around it. Images of her dead aunt and uncle flashed through her mind. The weapon began to shake violently in place, though it didn't come to her. She could see Parvulus standing over Ben's body. The old man's face was forever frozen in agony. The saber exploded to her, instantly snapping into her hand.

Leia fell back into her chair as she caught it, not quite sure of what had happened. She looked at the cylindrical shaped object she now held and pondered how it had come to rest in her hands. Before shock had penetrated her mind and brought her back to the present, all she had been aware of was a black fog around her mind; a fog induced by rage.

"Parvulus," she hissed as she turned the weapon over in her hands. "Vader!" she seethed with equal malice. The Dark Lords had killed her family. The Skywalker family was gone and it was all because of them. Her muscles tensed as anger flowed freely through her. They deserved to die, didn't they? Ben had mentioned that Vader had hunted all of the Jedi after the Empire was first incepted. How many people were there across the galaxy who had lost their parents to his ruthlessness? How many Jedi had left children behind because Vader decided they were a threat to his power?

"I swear," she said, turning to face Threepio. "I will make both of them pay!"

"Oh my," Threepio gasped as he took a step back.

He couldn't explain it, but Leia's very face made him tremble. In it, he could see darkness, the likes of which he hadn't seen since…

That night, Leia fell asleep on the sofa feeling a deep sense of satisfaction. In the morning she would work out a plan. Once she had one, Vader and Parvulus's days would be numbered.

"Ben," she murmered. "I'll make you proud."

_By murdering them?_

Leia looked around. "Ben?" she asked. "Hello?"

_I told you Leia, you must not give into your anger. _

"Ben?" she called out. "Where are you?"

_I am here, with you. _

"Why can't I see you?"

_It isn't important. _He replied. _If you truly want to seek justice, do as I tell you. Take the droids to the Rebel Alliance. _

"The Rebel Alliance?" she repeated.

_The R2-unit contains information that is vital to the success of the Rebellion. It must be returned to them as soon as possible._

Leia looked at Artoo suspiciously. Could the little droid really have something that could turn the tides of the war against the Empire? "What should I do?" she asked.

_The Rebels set up their headquarters on the third planet of the Yavin system. You must take Artoo there. _

"What about Parvulus?" she asked.

_The time will come when you may face him, but be patient. The success of the Rebellion is intertwined with your conflict with the Sith. _

"Sith?"

_You will understand. Time will show you all you need to know. Now go. You have work to do!_

The voice faded away and Leia looked over at Artoo and Threepio. "Lady Leia," the protocol droid said uncertainly. "Might I ask to whom you are speaking?"

---------------------------------------

Leia walked into the Mos Eisley space port and was instantly appalled. The mixture of alien scents as well as the smell of various liquors was not pleasant. She wrinkled her nose, but made no other sign of discomfort. Instead she walked straight up to the bar and waved to get the bartender's attention. 

"What do you want?" the duros bartender barked.

"I need transportation," she told him. "Are there any captains around?"

"I don't know. It's a space port, so probably!" the bartender replied.

Leia groaned and turned away. The cantina was so loud that she couldn't very well just shout out to any captains, but there didn't seem to be a designated area for them. She turned to the bartender and waved him back. "Are you sure there isn't anyone?" she asked.

"Go away," he snapped. "I'm working!"

_Use the Force._

Leia glanced around, still slightly perturbed by the idea of someone speaking in her head. "How?" she whispered.

_The Force can have a strong influence on the weak minded. You'll find it a powerful ally._

Leia looked back at the duros bartender and tried to concentrate. He looked at her in confusion. "Where is a captain?" she demanded.

"Go away before I put a blaster shot between your eyes, princess," the bartender threatened, pulling an older model D4 blaster pistol from beneath the counter. Leia stepped back wide eyed and her hand went to the E11-blaster rifle at her hip. The bartender saw her go for the weapon and fired a shot at her. She managed to side step it just in time. The blaster bolt soared passed her and shattered some kel dor's glass.

The kel dor stood up and started towards Leia. "Whoa!" someone called. "Whoa, whoa, calm down!"

Leia, the kel dor, and the duros turned and looked to see a scruffy looking guy and a wookiee coming towards them. "Captain Solo?" the duros gasped, turning his blaster towards the man. The wookiee roared angrily and pointed his bowcaster at the bar tender. The man also pulled out his D4-44 blaster pistol and trained it on the kel dor.

"Calm down," he told the alien, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a credit chip. "On me," he said as he tossed it to him. The kel dor caught the money and examined it for a moment. Once he was satisfied he turned away and went up to the bar. "Opo," the man said to the bartender. The duros reluctantly put his blaster away. "Go back to work." By this time a crowd had gathered and the entire cantina was silent. The wookiee roared angrily at the crowd. "Go back to your drinks!" the man called Solo barked.

He turned to Leia and walked up to her. "You know a pretty girl like you shouldn't be alone in a place like this," he commented.

"I get by," she replied.

"Oh yeah, I can see that," he said sarcastically. "So what'd you do to piss old Opo off?" 

"Looking for a pilot," she replied curtly before turning away.

"A pilot?" he repeated as he jumped in front of her. "Well, I might be able to help."

"You know a pilot?" she asked.

"I am a pilot," he replied. "Captain of the fastest ship in the galaxy."

"Fastest ship in the galaxy?" she said skeptically.

"Yeah, maybe you've heard of it. The Millennium Falcon?"

"Sorry," Leia said as she shook her head.

"You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon? It's the ship that made the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs!" Leia shrugged. "Come on," he said as her put his arm around her shoulder and started to drag her off.

"Hey!" she shrieked, throwing him off. "Back off!"

"Hey sweetheart, you need a ship and I got one!"

"Yeah, I'll find someone else," she said turning to walk away.

_Search your feelings, Leia. Is there any danger in this one? _

Leia turned her head back and looked at the man. He gave her a sweet, innocent, puppy dog look that made her chuckle. She sighed and shook her head. "How much for passage to the Yavin system?" she asked.

The man smiled. "What's the cargo?" he asked.

"Just me and two droids," she replied.

The man turned to his partner. "Chewie, Yavin's what, about six thousand light years from here?" The wookiee grunted a response. "That'd take us about two weeks of hyperspace travel…I'd say about ten thousand."

"Ten thousand?" she gasped. "I could practically buy my own ship for that!"

"And who's gonna fly it? You?"

"I could!"

_Make a deal. _

Leia looked up. "What kind of deal?" she hissed, hoping that the pilot and his partner wouldn't notice.

_The Rebellion has a great deal of funding. Offer him what you can now and the rest once you reach Yavin. _

Leia looked back at the man and smiled. "Make you a deal," she said. "I can't pay you very much now. The Imperials wiped out everything I own. I can only pay you about five hundred credits now. Plus the rest once we reach Yavin."

"Sorry sweetheart. Cash up front."

"Alright," she said, trying to keep cool. "One thousand hundred credits now. Plus fifteen once we reach Yavin."

"Sixteen?" He took a moment to mull it over for a second. "Alright sweetie, you got yourself a deal."

"Good," she said with a triumphant smile.

"We'll head out as soon as you're ready. Docking bay ninety-four."

"See you there," Leia said as she turned away.

"Tell the docking manager that you're going with Captain Solo. He'll show you the way."

Leia nodded and walked off to go find Threepio and Artoo. Solo watched her with a smile as she went. "Beautiful and stupid," he said with a grin. "Could this day get any better?" The wookiee growled a snide comment at him. "Yeah, well this is going to take care of all our problems with Jabba the Hutt, so keep your mouth shut." The wookiee growled at him, but he ignored the comment. "Go get the Falcon prepped. I'll be right there."

The wookiee shrugged at walked off. "Han!" Solo swore at the sound of his name and turned away. A blue skinned rodian walked up to him.

"Greedo," Han acknowledged.

---------------------------------------

"Han! Han!" Jabba the Hut called out towards the Millennium Falcon.

"Right here, Jabba," Han replied as he came up from behind Jabba. A swarm of space pirates and thugs that were accompanying Jabba trained their blasters on him. Han stopped abruptly, but made no move of surrender.

"Han my boy, there are times when you disappoint me… why haven't you paid me? And why did you have to fry poor Greedo? After all we've been through."

"Listen Jabba," Han sneered. "Next time you want to talk to me come do it yourself. Don't send one of these twerps."

"Well if you hadn't dumped that shipment of spice at the first sign of an Imperial-,"

"Listen Jabba, even I get boarded sometimes. You think I had a choice?" Han sighed and took a deep breath. "But hey, I've got a job now and soon I'll be able to pay you back, plus a little extra. I just need a little more time."

"Time," Jabba repeated. "Alright Solo, for you. But only because you're the best."

Han smiled as he started towards the inside of the Falcon. "Jabbam you're a wonderful person."

Han walked into the Falcon and Jabba turned to his men. "Let's go," the slug-like creature ordered. As the hut was leaving the space port, he was well aware of the Millennium Falcon talking off and bursting into space. "He had better not be lying," he muttered.

---------------------------------------

"Lord Parvulus," Admiral Tarkin spoke as he approached.

Parvulus sighed and turned back to the man he had come to despise over the years. "Yes Admiral?" he asked calmly.

"The Emperor has left orders for you," the admiral replied. "While he is away on Wayland, you are to report to the Death Star and take command there."

Parvulus clenched his fist and turned back to Tarkin. "Thank you," he hissed.

"I expect you understand the importance of that battle station," Tarkin called after him as he walked off. "Should you fail to recover the stolen plans, it's destruction will be on your head!"

Parvulus snapped. He turned around and walked up to Tarkin, igniting his lightsaber. With a quick slash, the Sith Lord grazed the man's eyes with the tip of his weapon. Tarkin's screams were music to his ears. Before he left, he decided to have some fun with the man. "Admiral," he said. "Once you've… cleaned yourself up, I expect a full copy of the Emperor's orders in my office."


	5. Chapter 5

**Family Ties**

**Chapter V: A Big Mistake**

Leia kicked back in her seat as Chewbacca looked at the board. The wookiee seemed to be confused by what he was looking at. He let out a groan of frustration. Although Leia couldn't exactly speak Shyriiwook she could tell that the wookiee was getting aggravated. He picked up one more piece and moved it into play. Leia keyed in the command so her rancor would take his cannok. Chewbacca howled in rage as he stood up and overturned the board.

"Whoa, easy Chewie!" Han yelled. The wookiee growled something at his partner, but Han fixed him with a sour look. "You behave!" the captain ordered. The wookiee growled something indignantly and stomped out of the room. Han smiled and turned to Leia.

"Sorry about that. He's a bit of a sore loser."

"I noticed," Leia replied somewhat sarcastically.

"So, what's your business on Yavin?" he asked.

Leia glanced at Artoo who was sitting inactively by the _Falcon's _hyperdrive terminal. "I just need to pay back some old friends," she replied. "And this is the best way to start."

'Old friends? Unless you're friends are a bunch of dead massassi, Yavin's not the place. It's been deserted for years."

Leia didn't answer for a long moment. When she did all she said was, "They're there."

"If you say so."

Before she could reply, they were interrupted by a loud beeping noise. "Damn it!" Han swore as he jumped up and ran to the cockpit.

"What?" Leia called after him as she followed.

"We've been pulled out of hyperspace and someone's hailing us!"

Before Leia could take the second seat in the cockpit, Chewbacca came in and knocked her out of his way. He growled something at Han, who was flipping switches. "On no," Han groaned as he looked at the scanners.

"What is it?" Leia asked.

"The Rebellion," he replied.

"That's good!" Leia cried.

"No, that's bad," Han told her.

"No, they're the one's I needed to contact on Yavin!"

The ship shook violently, as if something had struck it. "Chewie, raise the deflector shields!" Han ordered. "I'm going to try to out maneuver them."

"Why are they attacking?" Leia asked. "I thought the Rebellion was more peaceful than the Empire!"

"They are, except to Imperial ships!" Han explained.

"I thought you said this was an independent cargo vessel!" she shouted.

"It is, but it's using a stolen Imperial ID signature!"

Leia's shoulders sagged. "Oh for the love of-,"

"Imperial transport ship _Nexus _please yield to our forces. You are outnumbered and outgunned. You will be escorted to our docking module where you will be taken into custody. Will you comply?"

"The hell I will!" Han shouted back into the speaker before switching it off. "Alright, Chewie they've got an entire X-wing squadron. I'll get to the turrets and take them out. You stay here and try to jump back into hyperspace!"

"No!" Leia screamed after him. "Just do as they say! I can bargain with them!"

"Yeah right!" Han shouted back. "They're not interested in what 'Imperials' have to say, sweetheart!"

Han darted out of the room, over to the turrets. Leia groaned as she followed him. "Lady Leia, what is going on?" Threepio asked, getting in her way.

"We're under attack!" she shouted at the droid as she burst passed him. The ship rocked violently again, indicating that they had been hit by another serious shot.

Han came back into the hallway looking slightly agitated. "They just hit the turrets," he reported. The captain ran back to the cockpit and retook his seat. "Chewie, open the comm. channel. The wookiee keyed something into the computer and then grunted. "This is the _Millennium Falcon_," Han said into the channel. "We're are a non-Imperial transport vessel. Cease fire immediately."

There was a buzz of static before an answer came through. "Negative," the wing commander replied. "Shut all systems down and prepare for tow." As if to emphasize the point, the ship rocked violently again.

"Deflector shields down to forty-eight percent," he muttered.

"You have to do what they say!" Leia shrieked.

"And let the Alliance take my ship? Forget it!" he snapped. "Chewie, there's a planet down there. Go for a landing!"

The wookiee growled and began punching orders into the computer. The ship swerved suddenly and began heading towards a brown planet in front of them. The _Falcon _shot forward with a burst of speed and hit the atmosphere.

"The X-wings are following us!" Leia remarked. "Chewie, try to lose them!"

"Once we're inside the planet's atmosphere that won't be possible," Han informed her.

Leia watched as they broke into the planet's atmosphere and the sight of a dozen or so farms met her eyes as they soared through the skies. The ship was struck again and Chewbacca groaned. "Deflector shields are down! We're sitting ducks!" Han yelled. "Chewie, spin the ship around. Maybe we can outmaneuver them, get back into space, and jump to hyperspace."

Chewbacca grunted and complied with his orders. The _Falcon _turned onto its back and flipped over, flying towards the X-wings. It was a bad idea. The squadron leader loosed a torpedo on the ship. It stuck the head of the ship, destroying the outer hull. The _Millennium Falcon _lost all of its support and slammed down into an open plane, completely unable to move.

The X-wing squadron began to land around the down freighter and the cockpits began to open. The pilots gave control of the star fighters to their astromech droids and jumped out. They slowly began to come towards the _Falcon, _blasters at the ready.

"This is Talravin squad leader, to Talravin HQ, please send a transport and a towing vehicle."

"Copy that Talravin squad leader. Deploying requested assistance."

The squad leader turned back to his X-wing. "P4," he said to the droid. "Scan the ship to see if anyone survived." The droid beeped a moment later, indicating three survivors, all of whom were unconscious. "Alright boys, I guess we're waiting."

---------------------------------------

Leia groaned slightly she began to wake up. Her head was pounding and her vision was blurred when she opened her eyes. It took a moment for her eyes to focus. When they did, she saw that she was alone in a detention cell. Her belt was gone, and with it, her blaster and lightsaber.

Her arm was in a sling and she discovered that it was quite painful to move it any direction. She was forced to wait patiently for awhile. Time seemed to slip away. She wasn't aware of how many long she waited until the door slid open and someone came into the room. He was dressed in a black Alderaan Navy uniform and the numerous badges, patches, and decorations on his uniform gave Leia the impression that he was a high ranking official. He was also escorted by two men who were dressed in Rebel armor.

"I was pleased to hear that you were awake, miss," he said as he offered her his hand. "My name is Admiral Shan."

"Hello," Leia said as she took his hand.

"Do you have a name?" he asked pleasantly.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized realizing how rude she was being. "My name is Leia Skywalker."

"You don't hold a title?" he asked curiously.

"A title?" she asked.

"Yes, a title. A rank of some sort?"

"I'm afraid not," she replied. "My aunt and uncle are… were moisture farmers on Tatooine. I lived with them until very recently."

"Interesting," he commented as he released her hand. "Most Imperials of your status don't know how to keep their mouths shut about their rank."

"I'm not an Imperial," she replied. "I shipped off Tatooine with Captain Solo- Captain Solo… is he alright?"

"Yes, the captain and the wookiee are both fine, as are the droids. The wookiee was relatively unharmed by the crash, but the captain… well he'll live."

"What do you mean?" Leia asked.

"Captain Solo was severely injured. He had a minor concussion and one of his lungs collapsed, not to mention dozens of minor exterior injuries. He spent over nine hours in a bacta tank before he showed any signs of improvement."

Leia cupped a hand to her mouth. "You should have yielded to my men when you were instructed."

Leia shook her head. "I tried to convince him to! He wouldn't listen!"

"Really? I should think you were the reason he feared surrender."

"Me?" Leia fixed the admiral with a curious gaze.

"Captain Solo stood to lose nothing more than his ship from us. You… well I know how your kind deals with failure."

"My kind? What do you mean?"

"I have always believed that officials of your rank were arrogant to carry such a distinct item," he said as he held out his hand to one of the soldiers behind him. The guard drew out Leia's lightsaber and placed it in his hand.

"I take it you will be the one to replace Darth Parvulus once he takes Vader's position as the Emperor's second in command."

Leia shook her head. "No," she denied. "You've got this all wrong. I want Parvulus and Vader dead!"

"So you plan to take their positions by assassination? Clearly the Empire's sense of honor."

"No!" she repeated. "I don't work for the Empire!"

"Then how do you explain this weapon?" the admiral asked.

"I'm training to become a Jedi," she explained.

"Please," Shan snapped as he rolled his eyes. "Vader and Parvulus are the only Jedi left and the only ones capable of training another!"

"You're wrong," she insisted.

"I grow weary of your games. What is your mission?"

"I was seeking the aid of the Rebel Alliance!" she replied.

"You were hunting Rebels," Shan translated.

"No, I want to aid the Rebellion!"

"And you were using an Imperial freighter to find us? I sincerely doubt it!"

"Captain Solo told me that he was using a stolen Imperial ID signature when you attacked us. I didn't know about it until then!"

"An unfortunate coincidence."

"It was!" she agreed fiercely. "Ask Captain Solo or Chewbacca!"

"I'm afraid that Captain Solo has not yet regained consciousness from the crash and the only droid capable of translating for the wookiee is your own. As a rule of thumb, we don't use enemy droid translators. It doesn't work well."

"You have to believe me!" she cried.

"We'll see," Shan said as he turned away and walked out of the room, followed by his two guards. 

---------------------------------------

Admiral Shan sat down in the briefing room next to his interrogation officer and leaned back in his chair. "Well?" he asked.

"Their stories match to the letter," the officer responded. "And there is some evidence to support their claims."

"There is?" Shan asked raising an eyebrow.

The officer nodded. "The Imperial Code that they were using is identical to that of the Super Star Destroyer _Winger._"

"The _Winger?" _Shan repeated. "But she was destroyed last month." 

"Exactly. Solo may have bought the information not realizing that it belonged to a deceased ship. There's also the fact that his ship is not a super star destroyer."

Shan groaned. "So if they're not Imperials and their not Rebels, who are they?"

"Skywalker said something about aiding the Rebellion and Solo didn't really seem to know what was going on. Maybe she really is a Jedi who survived the purge."

"Impossible! She probably hadn't even been born at the time of the Jedi Purge." 

"Then perhaps an older Jedi was her trainer."

"Perhaps," Shan conceded. "But the Jedi were supposedly wiped out twenty years ago. Why wait until now to resurface?"

"You would have to ask her that," the officer replied. "All I know is it seems strange that they'd be Imperials. They don't seem the time and they aren't using any time of interrogation resistance that I'm familiar with."

"Change tactics," Shan suggested. "Give her until morning to let the fear get the better of her. Then you should begin using intimidation."

"In the morning?" the officer asked.

"In the morning," Shan replied.

"So we wait?"

"So we wait."


	6. Chapter 6

**Family Ties**

**Chapter VI: Attack on the Rebel Base**

Admiral Urth Ti signed the datapad before him and handed it back to the officer before him. The officer saluted him and then walked off. Ti turned his attention out the window, looking out at the glorious fleet that rolled on behind _The Reaper, _his personal flagship. The Super Star Destroyer was leading an assault on a Rebel Base that the Empire had just received word of. Apparently the Rebels had set up shop on Talravin, a farming community in the mid rim.

Ti was warrior and a military genius. He had been a general in the Clone Wars, serving as second in command to Jedi Master Ki Adi Mundi on Mygeeto. Even then, it had been he who had been leading to clone troopers into battle, not the Jedi. It was his military tactics that had allowed them to take control of the planet and destroy the droid general, Nemon. After the Jedi Purge, Ti had taken control of the soldiers on Mygeeto and built a city over the ruins of the planet. The Emperor had promoted him to the rank of admiral and given him control of his own fleet. The Reaper Fleet, as it was called, consisted of nearly one hundred and fifty bulk cruisers and eight star destroyers, each equipped with TIE fighter squadrons. At the head of the fleet was _The Reaper, _a super star destroyer that had seen the death of nearly four systems in the early days of the Rebellion.

The rebellion on Talravin would be a stroll in the park for a veteran military man like Ti. His presence was more intimidation than necessity. The Emperor had specifically requested that he be the one to destroy these rebels, a job he jumped at. He watched as the door behind him opened and could only assume this was an officer reporting that the time had come.

"Admiral," the man said. "We have just come out of hyperspace."

"I can tell," the admiral remarked dryly as he looked out the window. "Send the _Nebula's _TIE squadron into the atmosphere and begin planetary bombardment. Let's make a statement."

"Planetary bombardment!" the officer repeated, clearly stunned. "But… but there are billions of people on Talravin, people who aren't even related to the Rebellion!."

Ti turned to face the man, fixing him with a gaze that sent a shiver down his spine. "Talravin is a waste," he snapped. "Its presence brings no profit to the Empire. Its loss will serve as a warning to others."

"But-,"

"Your predecessor once made the mistake of questioning me, Captain. Surely you are no foolish enough to make the same mistake," Ti warned, the threat clear in his eyes.

"No sir," he replied quickly "TIE squadron A will be launched as soon as we begin planetary orbit."

"Good," the admiral said as his tone reverted back to normal. He looked out the window and saw the planet before him, colored gold by the wheat that was nearly ready for harvest. Soon, he thought with a smile, the planet would be black.

---------------------------------------

Leia Skywalker massaged her cheek where the interrogation officer had just struck. The officer raised her hand to strike Leia again, but the young woman backed away. This had been the standard procedure everyday for the last week. This woman had come into Leia's cell and beat her until she was practically unconscious. There was barely any talking anymore. It was purely a matter of physical abuse and to see how much she could take.

The woman pulled her fist back and smashed Leia in the eye, causing it to bruise. She stumbled back and hit the wall before landing on the ground. Determined to stay strong, she forced herself back onto her feet and looked the woman right in the eyes. Defiance was not something that the woman was accustomed to and not something she would tolerate.

She raised her hand to strike again, but the door slid open and Admiral Shan came in, escorted by his usual guards. The woman stopped and stood back respectfully, giving full authority to her superior. Shan looked down at Leia and then turned to the woman who had been beating her.

"That'll do," he said with a dismissive wave.

She nodded and left the room quietly. "So," he said calmly. "How are you?"

Leia's face showed that she was completely stunned by the question. "How am I?" she repeated. She had been beaten, tortured, and interrogated nonstop for nearly a week now. She hadn't seen the admiral since their initial introduction and it hadn't made her stay any worse.

"Your friends are on their way, milady," he told her.

"My friends?" she repeated.

"Yes," he said with a nod. "The Reaper Fleet is on its way. The Emperor must be especially interested in you if he is sending Admiral Ti to rescue you."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Leia said wearily.

"Ah of course," Shan said with a nod. "Well, we'll be evacuating soon, so you and your friend are to be executed in less than an hour."

"What?" Leia exploded.

"We can't afford you or Captain Solo attracting unwanted attention, so we're leaving you behind as a message to the Imperials. They'll soon know that even their leaders aren't safe from the Rebel Alliance."

"But I'm not an Imperial!" she cried.

Shan looked at her with a triumphant smile. "You won't be for much longer anyways," he said before leaving. His guards and Leia's interrogator quickly followed him. Leia tried to follow, but the door slid shut and locked before she could get out. She swore loudly and beat her fists against the door, but to no avail.

"Ben!" Leia sobbed as she collapsed to her knees and kept beating the door. "You told me to go to Yavin! You told me to find the Rebellion!" The young woman beat her fist against the door again as she wept. "You promised to help me take down Vader and Parvulus, but all you did was get me killed! I hate you!"

_Vader said the same thing, when last I saw him._

Leia looked up and around. "Ben?" she asked.

_Leia, you must not give in to your anger. It will lead you to the dark side!_

"Ben, I'm going to die! I don't think it matters anymore."

_Leia, you still have a long road ahead of you. Use the Force. You are no more trapped that a bird in the sky. _

"The door's locked," she said shaking her head.

_The Force opens all doors. _

"Ben I don't know how to use the Force, not that way!"

_Let the Force run through you. You are its vessel. Let it guide you so that you may use its power to set yourself free!_

Leia looked at the door despairingly. "It's hopeless," she muttered as she stood up.

The same way she had managed to levitate her lightsaber, Leia began to focus on the door before her. Her eyes closed and she began to feel the Force welling up inside of her. She channeled it through her hand and tried to force the door to slide open.

_You're trying too hard. Don't try to open the door. Switch the lock. _

Leia instantly saw wisdom in his words. Opening the door would require that she tear the durasteel bolt that was holding it in place through the inner walls as the door opened. Flipping a switch would be much easier.

Again, she reached out with the Force, trying to find the lock. It was relatively simple after a moment. There was a subtle click and the door was unlocked. She began to pull it open and was satisfied when her ears were greeted by the quite thud of the door falling into place. Leia opened her eyes and looked out into the hallway. Doors lined the walls and Han could have been behind any of them.

_Search your feelings, Leia. You'll find him. _

It didn't take long. She felt a bitter, greedy presence coming from behind a nearby door. The door adjacent to it held someone who was furious and had violent instincts running through them. Judging by the loud roaring, Leia could only assume it was Chewbacca.

She turned to Han's door and began to focus again.

---------------------------------------

Admiral Shan and General Bindo stood over a tactical read out of the planet Talravin and the space surrounding it for about a parsec. "I want X-wing support covering the cargo ships. The A-wings will have to lead the forward assault."

"A-wings?" Bindo repeated. "Admiral, they're not built to be forward fighters."

"We don't have enough X-wings or pilots to do the job," Shan replied dryly. "They'll have to do."

"Admiral Shan," the intercom went off. Shan sighed and pressed the button on the table.

"This is Admiral Shan," he spoke into the intercom.

"There has been a breach in the detention block, sir. All three prisoners have escaped. They've incapacitated the guards and are all armed."

Shan's eyes widened and his hands went white. "No!" he thundered.

"Sir, what are your orders?"

"Find them," he spat into the comm. "Kill them on sight!"

"Yes sir."

Shan looked up at General Bindo and shook his head. "We do not have time for this," he growled.

"Admiral, I'll find them," Bindo offered.

"No, you're needed here."

"Admiral they're a danger to the entire Rebellion. Let me deal with them personally. I will assure that their threat be removed," the officer insisted.

Shan looked him up and down and nodded. "Go," he ordered. "And be careful!"

"Thank you sir," Bindo said as he saluted Shan.

General Bindo turned away and walked out of the room. He entered the hallway and began to walk down the corridors. Finally, he turned to a door, opened it and walked into a room. Two pilots were changing into flight suits. They looked up when they saw him and saluted.

"General?" they asked.

Bindo smiled at them. Before they would react, he pulled a small assassin pistol from his belt and pulled the trigger twice. Each blaster bolt landed clean in its target's neck. The two rebels collapsed to the floor and Bindo holstered his weapon. He pulled back the sleeve of his uniform, revealing an Imperial communicator. "Admiral Ti," he spoke into the devise. "They know you're coming. You might want to hurry."

---------------------------------------

Han gripped his DL-44 blaster pistol tightly for comfort. It had been nearly a week since he had had his weapon and now it seemed to be a beauty to him. Chewbacca seemed to feel the same way about his bowcaster too. Leia held her E11-blaster rifle for caution's sake, but she didn't seem to be feel that the weapon brought her much protection. Han had noticed that she seemed different. She kept making comments about faith and the Force. He honestly didn't have any idea what she was talking about, but they were almost out and that's all that mattered.

At the moment, Artoo was plugged into the computer terminal, retrieving all the information he could on the Millennium Falcon. The droid beeped enthusiastically and Threepio looked up. "Lady Leia, he's found it. The ship is in the hangar, being prepared for take off with the others."

"Take off?" Han shouted. "Who the hell is planning on flying my ship?"

Artoo beeped. "A General Noron Bindo, sir," Threepio translated.

"They've already repaired it?" Leia asked.

Threepio nodded. "It was made a top priority after our capture," the droid answered.

"Well let's get down there, now!" Han thundered as he started to the door.

"Han, every rebel in this place is in that hangar. It'll take a miracle to get us through," Leia snapped. "We need uniforms."

Han looked at the two guards on the ground that they had knocked out. "Well we could take theirs," he suggested.

Leia looked at their burly forms and shook her head. "Too big for me," she replied. "Besides, that still wouldn't help Chewie."

"Well-,"

"Well, well, well," they were interrupted.

Han, Chewbacca, and Leia all spun around, blasters raised. There was only one man confronting them. His uniform was decorated in numerous ribbons and metals, so both assumed that he held a high rank. He was armed only with a small blaster pistol that looked like a stealth weapon.

"You wish to escape?"

"Who are you?" Han asked, taking the role of spokesman.

"My name is General Bindo. I'll be piloting your ship out of here, Captain."

"No you won't," Han replied.

"We don't exactly have time to argue," Bindo said shaking his head. "Listen, I believe you three. Come with me to the Falcon and I'll get you safely to Yavin."

"Wait, you believe us?" Leia asked, lowering her blaster.

Bindo nodded as he holstered his blaster. "We haven't much time. The Imperials are practically at our front door."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Han asked. "Let's go!"

Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and Threepio began to follow Bindo. Leia turned back and saw that Artoo was still plugged into the computer. "Artoo, let's go!" she ordered. The droid sputtered indignantly and continued its work. After a moment it detached and began to follow the others.

As they were walking, Artoo beeped something to Threepio. The protocol droid stopped dead in his tracks and glanced at Bindo. "Oh my!" he cried.

Before Bindo could tell that Threepio was staring at him, Artoo used his shock arm to stun the droid, causing him to yelp. The droid beeped angrily and Threepio muttered something about melting plates.

"What's the hold up?" Han demanded.

"Oh nothing," Threepio replied, banging Artoo on the dome.

---------------------------------------

Han sighed in relief as he took his seat at the pilot's seat. Bindo took a seat beside him and began to get the Falcon running. As soon as the order came to lift off, the Falcon shot out of the hangar.

"What's on the scanners?" Bindo asked as they him the atmosphere.

Han looked. "TIE squadron, dead ahead. Star destroyers and a Super not far behind."

"Perfect," Bindo muttered.

"Chewie, Leia, get to the turrets!" Han ordered.

The two nodded and ran down the hallway to their respective posts. Each one threw on a headset and began warming up the lasers. While they worked the turrets, Han began to activate the swivel cannon that was mounted on the bottom of the ship. "What can I do?" Bindo asked.

"Sit tight," Han ordered. "I'm in charge now."

Bindo smiled and leaned back in his chair. _"That's what you think," _he thought as his hand rested on his blaster.

Leia began keying in commands and the controls for the blaster came up. She saw three TIE fighters coming up ahead of her. Green jets of plasma erupted from their ion cannons. "Deflector shields up!" she heard Han cry.

The blast hit the Falcon, but did seemingly little damage. Leia took control and began systematically taking out as many fighters as possible. She must have been doing well, because after awhile the fighters seemed reluctant to come near the Falcon. She didn't exactly understand it, but it seemed to her that she could almost see her targets through the walls of the Falcon, in areas where she should be blind.

"Ben, is this the Force?" she wondered aloud.

The battle seemed to be going well. A-wings flew beside the Falcon, blasting the TIE fighters into oblivion. The small speed ships were beginning to tactically out maneuver the star destroyers and were causing sever damage to their shields. Once the deflector shields were gone, the outer hulls would be defenseless.

Han could see the cargo ships, escorted by X-wings and Y-wing jumping into hyperspace. The rebels were winning… but it seemed too easy.

"Millennium Falcon," a voice rang through the intercom. "We are going for the Super Star Destroyer. Please assist. Please assist."

Bindo's face went several shades paler and he shook his head. "Negative," he responded. "Abort! Abort! We can't harm a Super Star Destroyer!"

"We will momentarily, General. Prepare for attack!"

"What the hell do they mean?" Bindo muttered. If they destroyed the _Reaper_ the Reaper Fleet would be gone!

"Whatever they're planning," Han said. "it had better be good."

He began flying the Falcon towards the _Reaper, _hoping the rebels would come through. His hopes soon turned to satisfaction, as several large plasma bolts came from the planet's surface and hit the _Reaper. _"Ion cannons?" Han asked Bindo.

"Yes," the general replied through clenched teeth. Ion shots began to soar through space, striking the _Reaper _over and over.

Han smiled, seeing his chance. "Go for the fuel canisters!" he ordered into the intercom.

The Millennium Falcon began leading the assault on the _Reaper _as more than half of the available A-wings followed. "Abort the mission!" Bindo ordered Han. "We'll all be killed!"

"Not a chance," Han replied. "You haven't seen what my baby can do yet, General."

The Falcon and all of the following A-wings began to fire on the fuel canisters, blowing a large hole in their fuel supplies. "They're leaking gas," someone reported.

"Good! Everyone clear the way. The Falcon will finish this!"

"No!" Bindo cried, leaping at Han as he fired the final shot. The front windshield of the Falcon exploded with light as the _Reaper _burst into flames. It was over. The Super Star Destroyer was gone. Han would have celebrated, but he was busy being beaten by Bindo.

"Help!" he managed to choke as Bindo strangled him.

Help soon arrived as Chewbacca came in and ripped Bindo off of his friend. "Don't kill him!" Han shouted as Chewbacca prepared to snap his neck. The wookiee stopped just in time and stared at Han. "Tie him up! If the Rebels think we killed him, they'll kill us for sure."

Chewbacca groaned in disappointment, but a new idea popped into his head. He smashed the general on the back of the head, causing him to lose consciousness. "Good," Han said dryly as he massaged his throat. "Take the controls. Follow the Rebels back to Yavin. Let me know if they contact us."

While Chewie took over the Falcon, Han dragged the unconscious general into the passenger room and tied him up with a few spare manacles that he happened to have lying around. As he was working, Artoo came into the room and began to warble.

"Can't understand you," Han reminded him.

The droid's projector slid out of its dome and began to play a video. Han looked at it with interest. He watched as Bindo murdered the two rebels back at the base. Suddenly, it all clicked. "That's why you wouldn't leave the terminal!" The droid beeped an affirmation. "And now we have something to show the rebels." The droid agreed again. "You sneaky little droid," was all Han could say.


	7. Chapter 7

**Family Ties**

**Chapter VII: Yavin IV**

"You know," Parvulus said to the admiral who was currently in charge of the Death Star. He wasn't sure what this one's name was. He had already killed four and injured three beyond recovery. After the third one was taken out of his office carrying his own eyes, Parvulus had given up on memorizing names. They wouldn't be there long. "I was surprised to hear that the Rebels managed to destroy the Reaper fleet." The admiral wasn't sure how to answer this. Lord Parvulus seemed to be more intrigued than upset, but he could never really tell. "I think there's something else going on… that base didn't have anywhere near the fire power to stand up to them."

"Then how did they, if you don't mind my asking?" the admiral asked nervously.

"I don't know," Parvulus admitted. "But I know what was behind it…"

The admiral began to say something, but Parvulus wasn't listening. He was more interested in his own theory. Obi-Wan Kenobi's sudden reappearance and the unexplainable destruction of one of the Empire's most powerful fleets may not have been two unrelated events as one may have guessed. What if Obi-Wan had taken on another apprentice after Anakin Skywalker had died? Parvulus had witnessed the Emperor use the Force before to sway the course of a battle before. Maybe Obi-Wan's secret apprentice was doing the same thing.

"Shut up!" Parvulus snapped at the admiral, who instantly backed away fearfully. "Prepare my shuttle. I must return to Coruscant immediately." He stood up and stalked out of the room angrily.

"But what of the Emperor's orders?" the admiral asked.

"He'll be more interested in what I have to say!" Parvulus shouted back leaving the admiral alone and again quite thankful for his very life.

---------------------------------------

"Ready?" Han asked. Leia nodded, training her blaster rifle on General Bindo, who was still tied up and gagged in the passenger area of the Millennium Falcon. "Chewie?" The wookiee growled his response as he pointed his bowcaster at the prisoner.

Han nodded as he untied to the ropes that were binding the Rebel traitor. He didn't try to run. It would have been suicide. Instead he looked up at Han, waiting to see what he would do. Han grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out of his seat. "Come on!" he grunted as he dragged Bindo towards the boarding ramp. The ramp began to lower and a fresh breeze blew in. Han pushed Bindo down the ramp in front of him, blaster in the man's back. There were several other ships that had landed out in the open areas surrounding the jungles of Yavin. They all turned to cheer the general for his success in the battle. The joy stopped abruptly when the say Han and his stone cold face.

"Get me whoever the hell is in charge here or the general dies!" he threatened. There was a murmur amongst the several officers, soldiers, and pilots. Some drew blasters, but none dared fire, lest they hit their ally. "Shan!" Han called out. "Where are you?"

Admiral Shan stepped out of the crowd and walked closer to the _Millennium Falcon. _"Captain Solo, let's be reasonable about this," he urged. "You're cornered. If you kill the general you won't live very long. Let him go and I will see that your lives be spared."

Han chuckled. "You're a real piece of work, Admiral," Han said dryly. "We've spent a week, following you back to your base instead of breaking for it when we had the chance. The _Falcon _could outrun anything you've got. We chose to stay and come here with you and we chose to stay here and talk with you instead of rushing off to tell the Emperor where you are!"

"And why is that?" Shan asked coldly.

"Because we don't support the Empire," Leia answered from inside the ship. "We want to help the Rebel Alliance overthrow the Emperor and bring back democracy."

"But you're one of those dark Jedi!" Shan accused.

"I am not," Leia retorted as she came out of the ship. She walked straight passed Han and Bindo, who stared at her dumbfounded, and walked right up to Shan. "My name is Leia Skywalker, daughter of Anakin Skywaler, a decorated war hero of the Clone Wars, before he died!"

Shan looked around. A number of men seemed to recognize the name of Anakin Skywalker and were clearly impressed. "I served with Skywalker!" one of the older soldiers shouted.

"So did I!"

"Then you should recognize this!" Leia cried, pulling out the lightsaber that had once been her father's and igniting it. "This lightsaber belonged to my father, a powerful Jedi Knight! Those of you who remember the Jedi may vouch for my word. We are here as Rebel allies!"

"Then why do you bring forth a Rebel hostage?" Shan inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Artoo!" Leia called.

The droid slowly rolled out of the ship and up to Leia. "This was footage recorded by one of the cameras inside of the Talravin Rebel base. It was taken less than three hours before the Reaper fleet attacked. It is undeniable proof that general Bindo is an Imperial spy!" She turned to R2. "Play the video."

R2 began projecting the video out before the entire crowd. It was the security camera in the corner of the room, hidden well, so it was no wonder Bindo hadn't found it. It showed Bindo come into the room as two pilots were preparing for the fight. "General?" they had asked. Bindo hadn't even given them a chance. He revealed a hidden assassin pistol and killed them both. After holstering the weapon he spoke into a wrist communicator.

"Admiral Ti," he spoke into the devise. "They know you're coming. You might want to hurry."

The crowd gasped at the footage. Leia looked up at Shan. "I think we have some things to discuss."

---------------------------------------

"So you two were the ones who destroyed _The Reaper?_" Shan gasped after looking at the _Millennium Falcon's _automatic logs. Han and Leia nodded at them. They were gathered in a room with R2-D2, Admiral Shan, as well as former Senator Kanth. He was an older man who had been put in charge of the Yavin base some time ago, but he had only recently begun working in the military aspect of the war.

"Incredible," was all Shan could say. 

"You see now that we're not Imperials?" Leia pressed.

"Yes," Shan replied. The man's face took on a look of horror as he realized all of the unnecessary torture that he had put them through. "I… I am so sorry," he whispered.

Leia looked at him dryly, while Han considered blasting him. "Look," Leia said to break the uncomfortable silence. "That's not important. I was informed that the R2 unit that Captain Solo and I brought here contains information vital to your success."

"What kind of information?" Shan asked.

Leia shrugged. "I'm not sure," she replied. "All I was told was that it was information vital to the Rebellion."

"By whom?" the senator asked.

"A Jedi," she replied.

Kanth instantly accepted the answer without question. "Would you mind if our technicians looked through his memory archives?"

"Not at all," Leia replied.

"Wait a minute," Shan interjected. "What if this is a trap?"

"Nonsense!" Kanth snapped. "She is a Jedi Knight! We can trust her!" 

"I've done my history, Senator. The Emperor took control because of the Jedi."

"You don't know what happened! You were too young! All you know is the skewed version that some Imperial wrote down!" He turned to Leia and Han.

"Artoo," Leia gestured towards the droid. It rolled forward and its projector slid out. A blue hologram appeared and a man dressed in a Rebel flight suit appeared on screen.

"To whoever may find this, you must find that this R2 unit finds its way back to the Rebel Alliance. The information it contains is vital to our success!" the man said urgently. An explosion could be heard in the background. The man looked behind him and grimaced. "I must hurry. The Imperials have boarded my ship and are slaughtering everyone in sight. Darth Vader and Darth Paruvulus are on board. I know I will not survive. To whoever finds this, see that this R2 unit makes its way back to the Rebellion. It contains information of the Empire's newest super-weapon; a space station of unimaginable power. If our analysis of the blueprints and schematics are correct, this space station has more than enough power to destroy an entire planet!" Everyone in the room gasped. "You must find a weakness! The Rebellion cannot hope to survive, so long as this space station survives! There was another explosion behind the man. "I'm sorry. I'm out of time. Please, make sure this droid finds its way back to the Rebellion. Thank you." 

The image faded. Han, Leia, Kanth, and Shan all looked at each other in amazement. "This could be quite a problem," Kanth said, speaking everyone's thoughts.

---------------------------------------

Darth Parvulus stepped into the Emperor's office and bowed reverently, falling to one knee. "Arise, my friend," the Emperor ordered. "I trust you disregarded my orders for a very good reason."

"Yes Master," Parvulus replied. "The Reaperfleet has been destroyed. Admiral Ti is dead."

"Yes," the Emperor said with interest. "I have heard. Quite a shock, wasn't it?"

Parvulus nodded. "Reports indicate that a vessel called the _Millennium Falcon _was involved in space battle. My men have discovered that the _Millennium Falcon _is a ship that belongs to a space pirate named Han Solo. Last reports indicate that Solo left Tatooine with a course set for Kessel."

"Tatooine?" the Emperor repeated.

"Master, the sudden reappearance of Obi-Wan Kenobi and this ship's connection to both Tatooine and Talravin is too much of a coincidence."

"But Obi-Wan Kenobi was killed. You said you slew him yourself."

"I did," Parvulus agreed. "But maybe Kenobi wasn't alone. Maybe he had taken on a new, secret apprentice."

The Emperor considered the idea for a moment. "An interesting theory," he admitted.

"I don't believe the Rebels could have destroyed the Reaper fleet with out Jedi intervention."

"I agree," the Emperor replied. "What of the stolen Death Star plans? We could not locate them on Tatooine. I assume now that the Rebels have them."

Parvulus was silent for a moment before nodding slowly. "It's very likely, Master."

"Then Lord Vader has fail in his mission," the Emperor mused. "Darth Parvulus, you must track down the _Millennium Falcon _and bring back the stolen plans. Kill any who may have read them."

"It's already done. Upon learning the ship's name, I activated the internal tracker systems. It traveled to Yavin, escorted by the Rebels who were on Talravin."

"Yavin?" the Emperor repeated. He was thoughtful for a moment. "A small uninhabited planet in the middle of no where. We should have assumed they'd use planets such as this sooner."

"Yes Master," the Sith apprentice agreed.

"Return to the Death Star, Lord Parvulus, and plot a course for Yavin. Destroy the planet!"

"Yes Master."

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"According to the information obtained by Leia Skywalker, this battle station became one hundred percent operational nearly two weeks ago. "The battle station is heavily shielded and has more firepower than half the fleet. Its defenses are designed around a direct large scale assault. A small, one-man fighter should be able to penetrate its outer defenses," Kanth explained.

A pilot stands up and waits to be addressed. Kanth nods at him. "Pardon me for asking sir, but what good are snub fighters going to be against that?" he asked.

"Well the Empire doesn't consider a one-man fighter to be any threat, or they'd have a tighter defense. An analysis of the plans provided by Leia Skywalker has demonstrated a weakness in the battle station." Kanth began to address all of the pilots in the room. "The approach will not be easy. You will have to maneuver straight down this trench-," he pointed to a trench on the tactical readout that was beside him. "and skim the surface to this point." He pointed at a small hole in the readout. "The target area is only two meters wide. It's a thermal exhaust port, just below the main port. The shaft leads to the main reactor system. A direct hit will begin a chain reaction which should destroy the station. All of the pilots began murmuring and discussing this amongst themselves. "Only a precise hit with begin a chain reaction. The shaft is ray shielded, so you'll have to use proton torpedoes."

A pilot named Wedge Antilles scoffed. "That's impossible, even for a computer!"

"You're wrong," Leia snapped. "I used to watch my uncle bull's-eye wamp rats back home. They're not much bigger than two meters."

"We do not know the location of this battle station, nor do we know when we will. We are forced to wait. The moment this machine comes into known space, our ships will be deployed for assault. Keep your ships primed and ready at all times."

Han turned to Leia. "So now we just wait?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Can I ask a question?" 

"Go ahead," she answered.

"When are we going to discuss my payment with the good senator up there?"

Leia looked at him in disgust. "Is money really all you care about?"

"It's what I need to keep Jabba the Hutt off my back," he snapped.

"Fine," she replied. "Sixteen thousand credits. I'll discuss it with Senator Kanth now!"

She began to file through the pilots as they started to clear out of the room. Senator Shan was busy unplugging the tactical readout when Leia came up to him. Han watched as the two spoke for a moment. Kanth and Leia looked back up at him. Kanth smiled and clapped her on the back with a nod.

Han smiled. Well at least that was taken care of.

**I sincerely apologize that this update took so long. I am hoping to be able to update on a more regular basis. I have not forgotten all of my faithful readers. This story will be completed. I promise!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Family Ties**

**Chapter VIII: Death Star Battle**

Screams erupted throughout the Yavin base as the alarm sounded. This was it. The decisive battle between the Rebellion and the Empire was at hand or at least the first of many. Pilots screamed in anticipation as the hangar was bustling with activity. The pilots were had prepared their ships weeks ago. They had been awaiting the assault on the Death Star with glee. It was their chance to move up in the ranks.

Or, for Leia Skywalker, it was her chance for revenge. Though she would never admit it, she wanted to destroy the Empire for one reason, and one reason only; Darth Parvulus. He had been on her mind for awhile now. He was the only thing she could think of… well, him and Han.

Those two men were now the center of her world. Han had left very shortly after Senator Kanth had paid him and hadn't been heard from since. She had constantly checked the holonet for any mention of the _Millennium Falcon. _She hadn't expected any. The ship that had led the Rebellion to victory against the Reaper fleet probably would have received a quiet execution if it was found.

She couldn't think about that now. She had to focus on Parvulus. Intelligence had heard reports that he was on board the Death Star and was personally heading up the assault on the Yavin base. She looked out her window and could faintly see the Death Star as it steadily drew closer to the moon's atmosphere. She could see his face so clearly. It made her feel sick.

"All hands to your ships," the intercom spoke again. After changing into her flight suit, Leia turned and left her room, making her way to the hangar. A pilot that was heading up the assault named Wedge Antilles had spent the last couple weeks teaching her how to use an X-Wing. She was a rather skilled pilot, much to her own surprise. She had even been given permission to aid on the Death Star assault.

The hangar was bustling with activity as pilots loaded their astromech droids into their ships and made all last minute preparations. Her X-Wing was located near the back of the hangar and Artoo was waiting for her impatiently. He beeped in indignation once she arrived, for which he received a crude retort. She quickly keyed in the command inside the cockpit and Artoo was loaded into the ship. She hopped into her seat and began warming up the engines.

"Leia!" She looked down and saw Wedge standing beneath her ship. "Good luck," he said to her with a wave of his hand.

She smiled and waved back. "You too. Be careful."

"You too," he replied warmly. Their was a sort of awkward silence in the air before Wedge turned away and walked off. Artoo warbled something at her. She read a translation of what he had said on the X-Wing's monitor screen and snorted. "Shut up," she snapped at the droid. "I do not have feelings for him!"

"All ships may begin assault when ready!"

Leia pulled on her helmet and pulled on the control wheel, causing it to come free and mobile. She pressed a large red button which caused the X-Wing to lift off and retract its landing gear. The ship hovered for a moment before turning and slowly flying towards the airlock. Once her ship was clear of the base she activated the thrusters and it shot forward, following the other X-Wings in her squadron.

"Red Team, report in," Wedge's voice came over the comm. link.

"Red One, all systems go," a pilot named Biggs reported.

"Red Two, all systems check," another pilot chimed in.

"Red Three, all scans are green," Leia spoke as she read a translation of Artoo's analysis of the ship.

The other four pilots reported green systems across the board and the flight began. Leia had not expected breaking through the atmosphere to be so ruff. Expecting it to be similar to going into the atmosphere in a freighter or transport shuttle, it was quite a shock when her ship's external temperature rose to boiling levels and the heat began to physically effect her. In less than a second the overwhelming heat was replaced by unbelievable cold. The fiery atmosphere was behind her and now she was in the endless abyss of space.

She shivered loudly and clenched up as much as possible in her small confines. "Red Three, are you alright?" Wedge asked over the comm.

"I'm fine, Red Leader," she replied. She looked up through her wind shield and saw their target; the Death Star.

"All fighters, adjust X-foils to attack position," Wedge ordered. The eight X-Wings in unfolded and began to fly towards their destination at a faster rate.

---------------------------------------

"Darth Parvulus," the Death Star admiral said urgently as he walked up to the Sith Lord. "The Rebels have sent fighters to assault the Death Star."

Parvulus looked at him and smiled. "Why do you sound so worried, Admiral?" Parvulus asked. "This battle station cannot be harmed."

"Lord Parvulus, Grand Moff Tarkin said that they may have discovered a weakness using the stolen plans," he pleaded.

"And what happened to Tarkin?" Parvulus asked with a slight chuckle. He shook his head and shrugged. "Send TIE fighter squadrons to destroy the Rebels and have my TIE interceptor prepared."

"Yes milord," the admiral replied with a bow.

---------------------------------------

"Incoming fighters," someone reported. "Take defensive maneuvers!"

Leia quickly threw her control stick to the left, causing her X-Wing to barrel roll left. She quickly flipped a switch and her targeting computer came on. There were three TIE fighters in her scope and began to adjust it so until they we're perfectly centered. The young woman jammed the trigger and the X-Wing fired three consecutive shots. Each one hit its mark and the three TIE fighters exploded. A smile of satisfaction creased her face. Her celebration was cut short though as Artoo began to beep frantically.

"Leia, look out!" Wedge called. She quickly pulled up on the controls, causing her ship to do a somersault. The TIE fighter who had been behind her soared passed her as she snuck up behind him. One more shot finished it off.

"Thanks Wedge," she called.

"More fighters!" someone reported.

Leia looked up and saw another full squadron coming. Bursts of green plasma bolts began to burst from the TIE fighters' guns. All of them seemed to be concentrating their attacks on the Y-Wings. "Wedge," Leia called.

"I see it," he replied. "Gold Leader, have your team convert all systems to shields. Red Team will get those TIEs off your back."

"Copy Red Leader," Gold Leader replied. "Gold Team, convert all main secondary systems to shields."

"Alright Red Team, move in and take out those fighters. We need the Y-Wings to finish this," Wedge ordered.

"Yes sir," they all replied at once.

Leia maneuvered her ship so that she was flying towards the besieged Y-Wings. With all systems down except for their remarkable shields, they were sitting ducks. The Red Team had to work fast to fend off the TIEs. Leia, Wedge, and Biggs all unleashed a volley of shots that took them out of the picture.

"Report any damages," Wedge ordered.

"None taken," Leia reported.

"They hit my port thruster," Wedge replied. "It'll take time for K8 to repair it."

"Pull back, Red One. Provide cover from the rear."

"Yes sir," Biggs replied.

"Gold Leader, what's your status?" Wedge asked as he barrel rolled passed a cluster of TIEs, allowing Leia to shoot through them.

"One of my ships is too far gone. I've ordered it to return to the base. Gold Three and Six report sluggish controls. I think they may have hit the hyperdrives," he replied.

Wedge flipped a switch, switching his comm. link to a new channel. "Rebel Command, this is Red Leader requesting assistance."

---------------------------------------

Senator Kanth leaned in towards the holotable in the room and replied, "Copy Red Leader, what's your status."

"Three ships are out of commission and the TIE fighters are coming in too fast. Requesting A-Wing support."

Kanth looked over at Admiral Shan, who merely nodded. "Copy Red Leader," he replied. "Gray team will be dispatched immediately. Holding Blue and Silver teams."

Shan pressed a button on the table, activating the base's intercom. "Gray team, you have orders to lend air support to Red and Gold teams. Take out all TIE fighters and await further orders."

"Copy that Admiral," the leader of Gray team replied.

---------------------------------------

Back in space, Leia was in good spirits. They had been fighting waves of TIE fighters for nearly an hour now and she had taken relatively little damage. Her shields were still up at ninety-four percent and all other systems were fully operational. She blasted through another wave of TIEs before proceeding forward. "We're coming up on the space station," she reported.

"Hold your position, Red Three. Wait for further support," Wedge ordered.

"Awaiting air support," she replied obediently. "Scanning for the trench."

Her analysis of the Death Star's surface was quickly cut short as turrets began to emerge from it. She quickly ordered the ship forward and out of harm's way. After spinning around, she began to return fire. The turrets began to explode as Leia's ship rained plasma bolts down on them.

A moment later, she was surrounded by two more X-Wings, a Y-Wing, and a full squadron on A-Wings."

"Gray Team, provide air support above the trench," Wedge ordered. "I want this entire area cleared off all turrets and fighters. Gold Leader, Red One, and Three follow me."

She watched as Wedge's X-Wing disappeared in the depth of the canyon and quickly moved to follow. The inside of the trench was far more difficult to navigate than the exterior. Random support structures and columns were scattered everywhere, making it difficult to concentrate on anything besides flying.

"The target area is approaching," Wedge told them.

"Incoming fighers!" Gold Leader cried.

Gold Leader was right. Leia's scanners picked up three incoming TIE ships. Two of them were regular fighters, while the last was a TIE interceptor.

---------------------------------------

Parvulus smiled as he felt the small presence of the Force just in front of his ship's guns. Without even looking at his targeting computer, the Sith Lord fired, taking out the X-Wing on the far left.

---------------------------------------

"Biggs!" Wedge cried angrily. 

"Wedge, we have to out maneuver them!" Leia cried. "We can't fight in here!"

"Move to evasive positions maneuvers then!" Wedge ordered. "Gray Squadron-,"

"Wedge no, the A-Wings won't work. They're too fast to maneuver down here. They'll smash right into the walls of the trench!"

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Parvulus smiled as the two remaining X-Wings and the last Y-Wing tried to avoid all of his attacks. Truth be told, he wasn't working very hard and his attacks were damaging the Death Star more than his enemies, but he didn't care. It had been too long since he had flown a ship and he preferred to scare his opponents before going in for the kill.

"Keep running, Rebels," he urged. "That's right."

He fired another shot, clipping the back of the X-Wing on the back. One more shot completely destroyed the last Y-Wing."

---------------------------------------

"I'm hit!" Wedge called. "Leia, pull out! We can't do this!"

"Wedge, the base will be destroyed! It's now or never!" she responded stubbornly.

There was no answer, but she suddenly saw Wedge drop behind her out of the corner of her eye. Her eyes darted to her scanners and she saw the X-Wing drop behind the three TIEs. Wedge fired two shots, taking out just one of the TIE fighters. The other fighter continued after Leia, but the interceptor stopped and spun around mid-flight, scraping against the sides of the walls.

"Wedge!" Leia screamed.

---------------------------------------

"That was a stupid trick," Parvulus snarled as he fired directly at Wedge. The Sith Lord watched with satisfaction as the X-Wing exploded, taking the last remaining leader with it.

---------------------------------------

Leia looked ahead. The target was coming up quick. She just needed another twenty seconds. Every second felt like an eternity as she watched her view screen. The numbers began to tick down ever so slowly. The TIE interceptor was back on her tail and was trying to lock on. Only a series of crazy maneuvers kept him from catching her.

Ten seconds left.

---------------------------------------

Parvulus caught her in his scope.

---------------------------------------

_Leia, let go. _

"Ben?" she asked aloud.

Seven seconds left.

_Use the Force._

---------------------------------------

"The Force is strong with this one," Parvulus commented.

---------------------------------------

Leia flipped a switch, turning off her targeting computer. She was putting all of her faith into her own novice skills. Fear coursed through her. She was terrified that she would mess this up. If she did she would either smash into the wall or the TIEs behind her would finish her.

---------------------------------------

"Gotcha," Parvulus muttered as she came perfectly into his targeting computer. He fired his shot, but it was suddenly thrown off, only striking the droid.

---------------------------------------

From out of nowhere, three shots fired down into the trench. Two of them struck the remaining TIE fighter, destroying it completely, while the other hit one of the fins of Parvulus's TIE interceptor. The ship went flying and Parvulus was forced to maneuver it out of the trench.

"Alright sweetheart, let's not dilly-dally. Let's blow this joint and go home!" Han cried over the intercom from the _Millennium Falcon. _

---------------------------------------

Leia depressed the button, firing two proton torpedoes from her X-Wing. Both of them fired forward and were sucked into the waste port at the end of the chasm. "I did it!" she screamed.

She pulled up on her controls and the X-Wing pulled up sharply. Reversing course back to Yavin, Leia smiled with satisfaction as she heard the Death Star explode behind her. The force of the blast send her X-Wing, the four remaining A-Wings, and _Millennium Falcon _shooting forward, back into Yavin's atmosphere.

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The cockpit to Leia's X-Wing opened and she quickly hopped out. A roaring crowd surrounded her. Someone pushed through the crowd and threw his arms around her. "You did it!" Han Solo cried as he pulled her into a tight embrace. She was quickly ripped from Han's arms and pulled into the furry embrace of Chewbacca. He let out a loud roar into her ear that she couldn't understand.

Finally the wookiee dropped her and she turned back to her ship. "What about Artoo? She asked.

Several mechanics that were already coming to inspect her ship looked at her dully. "He'll be back in action in a couple of days," one of them replied. "He needs new plating though."

"Alright," she replied. "Don't let Threepio see him. He'll insist on donating parts," she warned.

"Skywalker!" someone called. "The Senator and Admiral want to see you!"

"Come on," she said, grabbing Han by the shirt and dragging him to follow her.

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"Amazing!" Senator Kanth was saying. "Simply amazing!"

"Unbelievable!" Admiral Shan said in disbelief. "One lone fighter destroying the Death Star by herself!"

"True dedication," Kanth commented.

"And you Captain Solo," Shan said in awe. "Your timing could not have been better!"

"I try," Han said with a shrug.

"Remarkable," was all either of them could say.

"Captain Solo, your efforts today have proven you worthy of a place in the Rebel Alliance," Shan said extending his hand to Han. The smuggler eagerly took it and smiled.

"I could lend a hand," he replied.

"And you Skywalker," Kanth gaped. "Your skills have earned you a position in our newest X-Wing division as leader."

"I'm honored," she replied.

"Come, come. There is much to be done. A ceremony must be held in your honor! You both deserve the Cross of Glory!" Kanth said happily.

"The Cross of Glory?" they repeated.

"Yes," Kanth replied. "Come!" 

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Leia and Han both exited Senator Kanth's office into the hallway, both looking rather pleased with themselves. The door slid shut and they started walking down the hall towards their lodgings. "I thought you were really going to leave," Leia told him.

"I'm hurt," Han replied jokingly. "You did good out there though. I have to say, not many men could have pulled that off."

"I'm not a man," she reminded him as she stopped in front of the door to her room.

"I can tell," he replied looking her up and down. Leia smiled as he admired her figure and turned away to hide the rosy color her cheeks had taken on. "Come here," Han said as he walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. Leia turned around and looked up into his eyes. The two just smiled for a moment before Leia pulled him into a close hug.

"I'm glad you came back," she told him.

He returned the hug, inhaling the sweet scent of her brown hair. "I couldn't have left you like that," he told her. They broke apart for a moment and went back to looking into each others eyes. Han seemed rather uncertain about what to do next though.

"Just do it," she whispered.

"I… uh-,"

Leia flung her arms around his neck and forced his lips down onto hers. Han was taken by surprise, but he wasn't complaining. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pushed her backwards. The door to her room slid open and the two disappeared inside.

**End of Book I**


	9. Book II Chapter 1

**Family Ties**

**Book II**

**Chapter I: The Hunt**

The distinct sound of a breath regulator could be heard outside of the door as Darth Parvulus fastened the brooch of his cloak. His door slid open and he felt the presence of his father, Darth Vader, behind him. He said nothing to the older Sith Lord, but waited patiently for some sort of explanation as to why he had come.

"The Emperor is not pleased," Vader told him.

"I am well aware of that," Parvulus replied, turning to face his father. His yellow eyes were all Vader needed to see in order to realize that that the young man was upset with the reference to the Emperor. It had been five years since the Death Star had been destroyed and the Emperor still blamed the young Sith Lord for his mistake. It had been five long years since Parvulus had been entrusted with any task vital to the destruction of the rebellion.

Vader's breath mask hid the slight smile on his face. "This is your chance, my son," Vader told him. "The Emperor has given you orders." The older Sith Lord extended his hand and held out a datacube for his son. "The Rebels have gone into hiding. Find them."

Parvulus quickly snatched the cube away from his father and inspected it. "I'll find them!" he insisted.

"The Emperor will not accept another failure," he reminded his son. With that the Sith Lord turned away and stalked out of the room, leaving his son in a very good mood. Parvulus smiled as his father left. He quickly left the room and made his way to the bridge of the ship, the Executor.

"Commander," he said to the man who was sitting at the control panel.

"Yes Lord Parvulus?" the man asked as he stood up and saluted.

"Commander, I want Imperial Probe droids dispatched across known space. They are to record all of their findings and return the feeds back to this ship, understood?"

"Yes sir," the commander replied.

"I want them searching for anything out of the ordinary on desolate abandoned worlds. Ilum, Korriban, Hoth, Ison. Search everywhere for the Rebels!" he ordered fiercely.

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Vader walked into his own chamber and sat down. The chair spun around to face a holocam and he pressed a button to turn it on. The camera, a small square shaped device suspended from the ceiling, emitted a blue light to scan Vader's image. A moment later, the Emperor's cloaked head appeared before him in a blue holographic form.

"Ah Lord Vader," the emperor greeted.

"I have news, my lord," he said promptly.

"About Darth Parvulus?" his master asked.

"Yes," he answered. "I have given him orders to locate the remaining rebels," Vader explained. "He believes that they are from you."

"Excellent," the Dark Lord said with a slight smile.

"He will find them," Vader said with confidence. "He would not dare fail you again."

The emperor was silent for a moment before speaking. "You have too much faith in your son, Lord Vader," he sneered. "Your son does not possess the military genius that you do, but it is no matter. I will make certain that they are found." Vader looked up in curiosity. The emperor considered whether or not he should inform Vader of his plan. He shook his head and snarled, "You're too emotionally involved with Parvulus."

With that he cut the transmission and Vader was left alone in his chamber. The Sith Lord clenched his fist angrily at his master's words as he stood. The next unfortunate officer he passed in the hall was in for a nasty shock.

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Darth Sidious leaned back in his comfortable chair, back in his office inside the Imperial Palace, located on Coruscant. The emperor put a wrinkled hand to his chin and stroked it thoughtfully. He looked up at the woman who was standing in front of him. She was looking at him patiently. Mara Jade was probably the emperor's most loyal servant. She was one of several assassins known as an Emperor's Hand.

Mara was by far the emperor's favorite Hand and therefore the one he feared the most. She was completely unaware of the other Hands' existence. The knowledge of their existence would have driven her mad. She was young, only in her mid twenties now, but the emperor was all she had. All of the financing, all of the resources, and all of the training he had given to her were gifts, an act of love. He couldn't possibly imagine how she would react if she learned that there were others with the same "gifts."

Her attractive looks also drew the emperor's attention. She was the most beautiful of all his Hands to be sure. Her curled golden-red hair fell back behind her shoulders and her emerald colored eyes sparkled in the light of Coruscant's moon. She was dressed in a black outfit with a violet cloak about her shoulders. An old looking lightsaber hung from her belt, a lightsaber she had taken from the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi just before his death. In the five years since she had claimed the weapon as her own, Mara had become quite an adept swordswoman. Her skills now rivaled those of Darth Parvulus himself.

The emperor had allowed her to keep the weapon only because it made her a more dangerous assassin. At first he had opposed the idea of her carrying Kenobi's lightsaber, but time had proven that none of the Jedi Master's spirit had bonded with his weapon. It was little more than a rusty old sword that Mara used to entertain herself.

The emperor stood up and walked around his desk. Mara merely turned her body so that her back was not to him, but did not follow him as he walked to a cabinet on the other end of the office. The door opened at his command and Mara saw shelves upon shelves of holobooks and holocrons that had once belonged to the Jedi before its destruction. He pulled one out and walked back over to his desk.

"Mara, how well does your memory serve you?" he asked her as he sat back down.

The question puzzled her, but she had long since learned to answer without clarification. "Very well," she said crisply.

"I suppose you were about fourteen at the time," he mused as he opened the holobook and keyed in what he was searching for. "-when Darth Vader found his son."

"Thirteen or fourteen," she agreed.

"Do you remember how vicious Lord Vader was when he learned that his son had survived his wife's death?" he asked.

"I remember that he laid waste to half of his ship," she replied. "It took you months to repair the damage he did on Ord Mandell."

"Yes," the emperor said with a chuckle. "And not a month later, Parvulus swore loyalty to me." Mara didn't speak so the emperor continued. "Do you remember when Lord Vader disappeared, just after the destruction of the Death Star?"

"Yes," she replied.

"It was just after hearing the reports on the Death Star's destruction that Vader left."

"You were quite furious," she recalled.

"It wasn't until he returned that I learned why he had been so upset."

"Why?"

"Imagine Vader's anger when he learned that there was another child, a twin sister."

Mara Jade gasped. "A twin?" she repeated. "Darth Parvulus has a twin sister?"

"Yes, the girl who destroyed the Death Star," Sidious seemed amused by this. "Obi-Wan Kenobi's secret apprentice."

"A traitor!" she hissed.

"Indeed," he agreed. "A Jedi in training, no doubt."

"The girl should pay!" Mara said angrily.

"I agree," he said as he handed her a datapad from his desk.

She took it and quickly scanned its contents. There was a picture of the girl beside her personal profile. "Leia Skywalker," Mara read allowed. "Age twenty-four. Wanted for High Treason against the Empire. Currently head of Rogue Squadron of the Rebel Alliance." Mara looked up. "She's been causing quite a bit of trouble for years then! Rogue Squadron is the team that-,"

"Destroyed the Imperial research stations on Manaan, wiped out the cloning facilities on Kamino, and freed the refugees on Nar Shadda from Serraco control. Yes, Lord Vader's daughter is quite the soldier."

"Please, Emperor, allow me to kill her," she pleaded. "I will not fail you."

"I know you will not," the Dark Lord replied with a wicked smile. "Find her through the Force. I trust in your talents, Mara Jade."

"Yes master," she replied. She bowed deeply before him and left the room.

Granted, her master had told her to use the Force to find Skywalker, but she had a better idea – one that would not require so much effort on her part.

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"Rogue Leader?"

"This is Rogue Leader," Leia Skywalker replied into her comm. link. "Rogue One and Rogue Two, take point. I want the cargo ships secure. Rogue Three and Rogue Four, follow behind me."

The twelve ships that made up Rogue Squadron pulled away from the cargo ships that were carrying the Rebellion's supplies to the planet of the Hoth. The freighters followed closely as they began their approach towards the planet. The atmospheric entry was smooth. The X-Wings easily penetrated and began their flight towards Echo Base.

"Break formation," Leia ordered.

"Yes Ma'am," was the response on all channels.

The twelve X-Wings broke their formation and began to fly in separate directions. The blast doors to the base opened wide and Leia eased her ship into the hangar. She was followed by the remaining Rouge team, which was followed by the cargo transports. Leia keyed in the commands into her ship and glass dome above her cockpit popped open. She hopped out of the ship and landed roughly on the cold ground beneath her. One step caused her to stumble and lose her balance. She cried out as she grabbed the X-Wing's landing leg to keep from falling.

"Typical," she muttered as she realized the entire hangar floor was covered in ice and slush.

"Captain Skywalker!"

Leia looked up and saw Admiral Corbin Shan coming towards her. She smiled at him as she relinquished her grip on her ship and began to move towards him. He looked good, better than he had in months. The last time she had seen the admiral, he had been sick with space fever on Ord Mantell. His sleek black hair was now an iron gray color and his once smooth face was drawn and pale. He seemed to be in a good mood though. A smile played across his features, which was something she had not seen in quite some time.

"Corbin," she greeted him fondly. "You look wonderful!"

"And you look more and more beautiful every day," he complimented.

"Why thank you," she said with a slight blush. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," he said enthusiastically. "The new meds that doctor prescribed are a miracle."

"Well it's good to see you back to normal. You had us worried."

"Captain Solo seemed a little less than concerned," Shan commented.

Leia and Shan both chuckled. Han Solo had been affected by Shan's deteriorating health. Despite their rocky start, the two men had become close friends and Han would have been devastated if anything were to happen to the admiral. He had isolated himself when Shan had taken sick and even Leia had been unable to speak with him for quite awhile. He finally had broken down and explained to Leia that he was worried. That night had ended with Leia swearing not to tell a soul what he had told her. Naturally, the first person she had told was the admiral himself.

"Speaking of Han," Leia couldn't keep the hopeful tone from her voice. "Where is he? I see the Falcon."

Indeed, the Millennium Falcon stood not thirty yards away from where they presently stood. Leia could see a strange brown shape on top of the ship that was moving about noisily.

"Chewie!" She called.

The Wookiee looked up and saw the young star pilot. He let out a loud whine of joy and hopped off of the ship. His progress didn't seem to be slowed or even affected by the icy ground. The furry creature cried out and flung his arms around his friend.

"It's good to see you too, big guy," she said fondly as she began to scratch the Wookiee's neck. "Where's Han?" Chewbacca growled and pointed in the general direction of the door that led into the base. "Thanks," she said as she rolled her eyes. It had been five years since Leia had met the Wookiee and she still had not picked up very much in the line of his language. She understood certain parts, but anything beyond an infant's speech was beyond her.

"Captain Solo is probably in the galley," Shan informed her. "He's been out for most of the night and was quite hungry when he returned."

"Thank you, Corbin," she replied. "I'll speak with you soon."

Shan nodded at her as she walked off, leaving him alone with the Wookiee.

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"They call this food?" Han Solo muttered to himself as he shoved another spoonful of hot stew into his mouth. At the very least, it was hot. It was rather bland though. He wasn't sure that it had been cooked with anything other than water and heat.

"Not good, huh?"

Han spun around. "Leia?" He asked. A smile split across his face. The bad food was forgotten. The captain was on his feet in an instant. His arms were wrapped around Leia's waist and their eyes had met. "I thought you wouldn't be in for a few more hours," he told her.

"You were wrong," she replied.

The two kissed gently. They broke apart and pulled each other into a close embrace. "I missed you," he whispered into her ear.

"I missed you too," she replied. "I thought they'd never pull the fleet back together."

They broke the hug, but kept each other close. "Did you find what you were looking for?" He asked.

Leia shook her head. "The Empire was thorough. I couldn't find a single Jedi record in the Core." Her tone was happy though. She didn't seem to be discouraged in the least. "By the time I finished I didn't care anymore. I just wanted to get back to you."

Han ran his hand through her hair and pulled her close. Their foreheads rested against one another and their noses touched. "Come on," he said to her. "You're shivering."

"I'm cold," she admitted.

"It's warmer in my room."

Leia chuckled. "I'll bet it is," she muttered. 

**Alright, so it's time that I got started on Book II of the Family Ties Trilogy. Not much to say. I know that this was a bit of a dull chapter, but if you've stuck with me thus far, stick with it a little longer. This book will feature the split where Leia's story will greatly differ from Luke's in the original trilogy with more than just the addition of Mara Jade. **


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